ACC 342 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Fixed Cost

1. Which one of the following refers to a cost that remains the same as the volume of activity decreases within the relevant range?

A. Average cost per unit.

B. Variable cost per unit.

C. Unit fixed cost.

D. Total variable cost.

2. The relevant range refers to the activity levels over which

A. Cost relationships hold constant.

B. Costs fluctuate.

C. Production varies.

D. Relevant costs are incurred.

3. When identifying fixed and variable costs, which one of the following is a typical assumption concerning cost behavior?

A. General and administrative costs are assumed to be variable costs.

B. Cost behavior is assumed to be realistic for all levels of activity from zero to maximum capacity.

C. Total costs are assumed to be linear when plotted on a graph.

D. The relevant time period is assumed to be 5 years.

4. A management accountant is about to prepare graphs of total variable cost and per-unit variable cost for use in a short-term planning model. Dollars will be depicted on the vertical axis; activity will be shown on the horizontal axis. How will these graphs appear under completion?

Total Variable Cost; Per-Unit Variable Cost

A. Straight line, sloping upward to the right; Straight line, parallel to the horizontal axis

B. Curvilinear, sloping upward to the right; A line that basically parallels the horizontal axis, first decreasing and then increasing

C. Straight line, sloping upward to the right; Straight line, sloping upward to the right

D. Straight line, parallel to the horizontal axis; Straight line, sloping upward to the right

5. A company has found that its total electricity cost has both a fixed component and a variable component within the relevant range. The variable component seems to vary directly with the number of units produced. Which one of the following statements concerning electricity cost is incorrect?

A. The total electricity cost will increase as production volume increases.

B. The total electricity cost per unit of production will increase as production volume increases.

C. The variable electricity cost per unit of production will remain constant as production volume increases.

D. The fixed electricity cost per unit of production will decline as production volume increases.

High-Low and Cost Formula Harrison Company has accumulated thefollowing total manufactur-

ing overhead costs for two levels of activity (within therelevant range):

LowHigh

Activity (direct laborhours)..........................................80,000 120,000

Total manufacturing overhead.......................................$468,000 $604,000

The total overhead cost includes variable, fixed, and mixedcosts. At 120,000 direct labor hours, the

total cost breakdown is as follows:

Variablecost...............................................................$264,000

Fixedcost.................................................................160,000

Semi-mixed cost...........................................................180,000

Required

a . Using the high-low method of cost analysis, determine thevariable portion of the semi-variable

cost per direct labor hour. Determine the total fixed costcomponent of the mixed cost.

b. What should the total planned overhead cost be at 100,000direct labor hours?

Why is it important to identify the most appropriate costdrivers for a particular product?

A) so managers can identify the activities necessary tomanufacture a product

B) so managers can control product costs better

C) so managers can predict product costs better and make betterdecisions

D) B and C

Answer:

Cost drivers are ________.

A) the different functions in the value chain

B) different types of functional areas in the firm

C) measures of activities that require the use of resources andthereby cause costs

D) different types of cost calculations

Answer:

Within the relevant range, the total amount of ________ costchanges in direct proportion to changes in the cost driver. Withinthe relevant range, the total amount of ________ cost does notchange in direct proportion to changes in the cost driver.

A) fixed; variable

B) variable; fixed

C) step; mixed

D) mixed; step

Answer:

What happens when the cost-driver level increases within therelevant range?

A) Total fixed costs remain unchanged.

B) Fixed costs per unit of cost driver increase.

C) Total variable costs decrease.

D) Variable costs per unit of cost driver increase.

Answer:

Which of the following costs is a fixed cost?

A) cost of dairy ingredients used to produce ice cream

B) depreciation expense on factory building

C) fuel used by delivery trucks

D) labor wages of workers who mix dairy ingredients to make icecream