Practice Questions And Correct Answers (Verified
Answers) Plus Rationales 2026 Q&A | Instant Download
SECTION 1: PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE
FUNDAMENTALS
Question 1
Which of the following best defines preventive maintenance?
A) Repairing equipment only after it fails
B) Performing maintenance on a regular, predictable schedule to prevent
breakdowns
C) Monitoring equipment condition to determine when maintenance is needed
D) Outsourcing all maintenance activities to contractors
Answer: B — Performing maintenance on a regular, predictable schedule to
prevent breakdowns
Rationale: Preventive maintenance (PM) is defined as performing maintenance on
a regular, predictable schedule so workers know when to expect it, with the goal of
preventing breakdowns and ensuring optimum equipment performance.
Question 2
What is the primary objective of a preventive maintenance program?
A) To increase repair costs
B) To ensure breakdown-free operation and extend equipment life
C) To eliminate all equipment maintenance
D) To reduce the number of maintenance staff
,Answer: B — To ensure breakdown-free operation and extend equipment life
Rationale: Preventive maintenance has two principal objectives: technical, which
ensures breakdown-free operation and optimum equipment life; and financial,
which reduces costs by minimizing downtime.
Question 3
Why are maintenance checks necessary on equipment?
A) To increase fuel mileage and reduce wear and tear
B) To make equipment look newer
C) To increase the number of service calls
D) To reduce building occupancy
Answer: A — To increase fuel mileage and reduce wear and tear
Rationale: Preventive maintenance ensures equipment achieves optimal
performance and reduces wear and tear on components. Regular checks identify
minor issues before they become major failures.
Question 4
What is the difference between preventive maintenance and breakdown
maintenance?
A) Breakdown maintenance is scheduled; preventive maintenance is unscheduled
B) Preventive maintenance is planned; breakdown maintenance occurs after
failure
C) There is no difference
D) Breakdown maintenance is always more cost-effective
Answer: B — Preventive maintenance is planned; breakdown maintenance
occurs after failure
, Rationale: Preventive maintenance is planned and scheduled at regular intervals
to prevent failures. Breakdown maintenance (reactive maintenance) occurs after
equipment has already failed, resulting in unplanned downtime and higher costs.
Question 5
Which of the following is a benefit of preventive maintenance?
A) Equipment downtime is decreased
B) Major repairs are reduced
C) Better conservation of assets
D) All of the above
Answer: D — All of the above
Rationale: Benefits of preventive maintenance include decreased equipment
downtime, reduced number of major repairs, better conservation of assets, lower
repair costs due to timely action, and improved spare parts inventory control.
Question 6
Regular servicing at pre-planned intervals is known as:
A) Run to breakdown (RTB)
B) Preventive maintenance (PM)
C) Condition-based maintenance (CBM)
D) Emergency maintenance
Answer: B — Preventive maintenance (PM)
Rationale: Preventive maintenance is defined as regular servicing at pre-planned
intervals to prevent equipment failure and maintain optimal performance.
Question 7
What is the relationship between preventive maintenance cost and breakdown
maintenance cost?