A project needs to know if a project is progressing as planned. Which of the following tools would be BEST to measure progress?

A histogram displays resource usage or frequency distribution over time and does not measure schedule progress against a plan.

KPIs are high-level performance indicators that can measure many things, but they are not a scheduling tool that shows whether specific activities are progressing as planned.

A Pareto chart is a quality tool used to prioritize causes of defects or problems, not to measure schedule progress.

A RACI matrix defines roles and responsibilities for activities; it does not measure progress or schedule performance.

CPM calculates the longest sequence of dependent activities in the project network, establishing the minimum project duration and identifying which activities have zero float. By comparing actual activity completion against the critical path baseline, a project manager can directly determine if the project is on, ahead of, or behind schedule - making it the most direct tool for measuring planned vs. actual progress.