Final answer:
Activity F is considered a merge activity because it has multiple predecessors. It could be either critical or non-critical but cannot be determined without further analysis of the network diagram and critical path. It may also be a burst activity if it precedes multiple subsequent activities.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question pertains to the development of a network diagram based on a table of activities and their durations, including predecessor activities, in order to determine the nature of activity F. Based on the information provided, activity F has predecessors B and C, both of which must be complete before F can begin. With this context, assuming that activity F is on the critical path (as we can't ascertain this without the network diagram and calculating the critical path), it would be a critical activity, meaning its timing directly affects the project completion. However, if activity F can be delayed without affecting the project completion date, then it would be a non-critical activity. Without additional information about the network's critical path and float times, we can't conclude here if it's critical. Activity F can also be classified as a merge activity because it has more than one predecessor. It could also be a burst activity if it leads to more than one subsequent activity, but this isn't indicated in the current data.