All questions
Question 1
Pinecrest Manufacturing uses job-order costing with a predetermined overhead rate of $15 per direct labor hour. Job #312 incurred direct materials of $4,200, direct labor of 180 hours at $20 per hour, and used 180 direct labor hours for overhead application. What is the total cost of Job #312?
- $7,800
- $10,500 (correct answer)
- $9,300
- $11,700
Explanation: Direct labor cost = 180 hours x $20 = $3,600. Applied overhead = 180 hours x $15 = $2,700. Total job cost = $4,200 + $3,600 + $2,700 = $10,500. Option A omits applied overhead entirely. Option C applies only part of the overhead. Option D applies an overhead rate higher than the predetermined rate.
Question 2
Pinecrest Manufacturing has budgeted manufacturing overhead of $360,000 and budgeted direct labor hours of 24,000 for the year. What is the predetermined overhead rate?
- $24.00 per DLH
- $18.00 per DLH
- $15.00 per DLH (correct answer)
- $12.00 per DLH
Explanation: Predetermined overhead rate = Budgeted overhead / Budgeted activity = $360,000 / 24,000 = $15.00 per DLH. Option A divides by 15,000 hours. Option B divides by 20,000 hours. Option D divides by 30,000 hours.
Question 3
Pinecrest Manufacturing applies overhead at $15 per direct labor hour. During the year, actual direct labor hours were 22,000 and actual overhead incurred was $345,000. What is the amount and direction of under- or overapplied overhead?
- $15,000 overapplied
- $30,000 underapplied
- $30,000 overapplied
- $15,000 underapplied (correct answer)
Explanation: Applied overhead = 22,000 DLH x $15 = $330,000. Under/overapplied = Actual - Applied = $345,000 - $330,000 = $15,000 underapplied. Actual overhead exceeded applied overhead, so overhead was underapplied. Option A has the correct amount but incorrect direction. Option B uses incorrect applied overhead in the calculation. Option C has both an incorrect amount and incorrect direction.
Question 4
Pinecrest Manufacturing reports: beginning WIP $45,000, direct materials added $280,000, direct labor $195,000, overhead applied $165,000, ending WIP $62,000. What is the cost of goods manufactured for the period?
- $623,000 (correct answer)
- $685,000
- $578,000
- $640,000
Explanation: Cost of goods manufactured = Beginning WIP + Direct materials + Direct labor + Overhead applied - Ending WIP = $45,000 + $280,000 + $195,000 + $165,000 - $62,000 = $623,000. Option B omits the deduction for ending WIP. Option C omits beginning WIP from the calculation. Option D applies an incorrect ending WIP balance.
Question 5
Riverdale Co. has total conversion costs to account for of $280,000 and equivalent units of production for conversion of 20,000. What is the cost per equivalent unit for conversion costs?
- $12.00
- $15.50
- $16.00
- $14.00 (correct answer)
Explanation: Cost per equivalent unit = Total conversion costs / EUP = $280,000 / 20,000 = $14.00. Option A divides by an incorrect equivalent unit count of approximately 23,333. Option B and Option C result from arithmetic errors using incorrect denominators.
Question 6
Riverdale Co. has total direct materials costs of $396,000. Materials are added at the start of the process, so ending WIP is 100% complete for materials. Units completed and transferred: 18,000; ending WIP: 4,000 units. What is the cost per equivalent unit for direct materials?
- $18.00 (correct answer)
- $16.00
- $20.00
- $22.00
Explanation: EUP for materials = 18,000 + (4,000 x 100%) = 22,000. Cost per EU for materials = $396,000 / 22,000 = $18.00. Option B divides by 24,750, overstating equivalent units. Option C divides by 19,800. Option D divides by 18,000, treating ending WIP as having zero material content.
Question 7
A company uses job-order costing. Job #445 had a beginning balance of $8,500. During the month, direct materials of $6,200 were requisitioned, 80 direct labor hours were worked at $25 per hour, and overhead is applied at $18 per direct labor hour. What is the ending balance on Job #445's cost sheet?
- $16,700
- $17,560
- $19,580
- $18,140 (correct answer)
Explanation: Direct labor = 80 hours x $25 = $2,000. Applied overhead = 80 hours x $18 = $1,440. Ending balance = $8,500 + $6,200 + $2,000 + $1,440 = $18,140. Option A omits applied overhead. Option B applies an incorrect overhead rate. Option C applies overhead to the beginning balance as well as current hours.
Question 8
Sunset Industries uses job-order costing. During the period: Job #201 (cost $42,000) was completed and sold; Job #202 (cost $35,000) was completed and sold; Job #203 (cost $28,000) was completed but not yet sold; Job #204 (cost $19,000) remains in process. What is cost of goods sold for the period?
- $105,000
- $96,000
- $77,000 (correct answer)
- $124,000
Explanation: COGS includes only jobs completed and sold: Job #201 $42,000 + Job #202 $35,000 = $77,000. Option A includes Job #203 (finished goods, not sold). Option B includes Jobs 201, 202, and 203 minus Job 204. Option D includes all four jobs regardless of completion or sale status.
Question 9
Using Sunset Industries data: Job #201 (42,000, sold), Job #202 (35,000, sold), Job #203 (28,000, completed not sold), Job #204 (19,000, in process). What is the ending finished goods inventory balance?
- $19,000
- $47,000
- $105,000
- $28,000 (correct answer)
Explanation: Finished goods inventory includes only jobs that are complete but not yet sold. Only Job #203 ($28,000) meets this criterion. Option A reports Job #204, which is still in WIP, not finished goods. Option B sums Jobs #203 and #204 together. Option C totals Jobs #201 through #203, incorrectly including sold jobs.
Question 10
A company produces Product X in batches of 10,000 identical units on a continuous assembly line and Product Y as a custom-engineered component with unique specifications for each client order. Which costing systems are most appropriate?
- Job-order costing for both products because each production run incurs unique costs
- Process costing for Product X and job-order costing for Product Y (correct answer)
- Process costing for both products because they are manufactured in the same facility
- Job-order costing for Product X and process costing for Product Y
Explanation: Process costing suits Product X because it is produced in homogeneous batches where costs are averaged across identical units. Job-order costing suits Product Y because each unit has unique specifications requiring separate cost accumulation per order. Option A incorrectly applies job-order to a homogeneous product. Option C incorrectly uses the shared facility as the basis for selecting the same system. Option D reverses the appropriate assignment.
Question 11
A company switches one product line from process costing to job-order costing. Which condition most justifies this change?
- The product line has become more profitable and management wants more detailed tracking
- The company wants to reduce administrative burden by simplifying its costing system
- Process costing is required under GAAP for publicly traded manufacturers
- The product line has shifted from standardized mass production to customized orders with significantly different resource requirements per unit (correct answer)
Explanation: The choice between costing systems should reflect the nature of the production process. When a product line transitions from homogeneous mass production to differentiated custom orders, the cost accumulation method should change accordingly - averaging costs across dissimilar jobs would distort product costs. Option A confuses profitability tracking with the basis for costing system selection. Option B incorrectly suggests job-order costing reduces administrative burden; it is typically more labor-intensive than process costing. Option C is incorrect; GAAP does not mandate a specific costing system.
Question 12
A job-order costing company applies overhead using a single plantwide rate based on direct labor hours. Department A is labor-intensive (80% of total DLH) and Department B is machine-intensive (20% of DLH, with 60,000 machine hours and $600,000 of department-specific overhead). Which concern does the plantwide rate create?
- The plantwide rate always produces more accurate product costs than departmental rates in facilities with two departments
- The company should increase direct labor in Department B to equalize the DLH mix between departments
- Using a DLH rate overstates overhead applied to jobs processed primarily in Department A
- Jobs processed primarily through Department B are likely under-costed because the DLH plantwide rate does not capture the machine-intensive overhead consumption of that department (correct answer)
Explanation: Department B's overhead ($600,000) is driven by machine activity (60,000 hours), but the plantwide DLH rate allocates overhead based on labor hours. Because Department B uses few DLH relative to its machine-heavy overhead, jobs spending significant time in Department B will receive less overhead allocation than their actual resource consumption warrants. A departmental overhead rate using machine hours for Department B would produce more accurate costs. Option A makes an absolute claim without analytical basis. Option B is an operational suggestion unrelated to the costing accuracy question. Option C reverses the direction; Department A, which uses most of the DLH, would absorb a disproportionately high share of machine-related overhead.
Question 13
A process costing company uses the weighted-average method. Beginning WIP had 3,000 units with $18,000 of accumulated conversion costs. Current period conversion costs were $162,000. How does the weighted-average method treat these costs differently from the FIFO method?
- Under weighted-average, total conversion costs to account for are $180,000 (beginning WIP costs plus current period); FIFO uses only the $162,000 of current period costs to compute cost per equivalent unit (correct answer)
- Under weighted-average, total costs to account for are $162,000 and FIFO uses $180,000
- Both methods use $180,000 as total costs, but compute equivalent units differently
- Weighted-average and FIFO produce identical cost per unit results when beginning WIP is less than 20% of total units processed
Explanation: The weighted-average method blends beginning WIP costs with current period costs. Total costs to account for = $18,000 + $162,000 = 180,000,andthiscombinedfigureisdividedbyweighted−averageequivalentunits.FIFOkeepsthecostlayersseparate:beginningWIPcosts(18,000) are assigned to the first units completed using prior-period rates, and only current period costs ($162,000) are divided by FIFO equivalent units to compute the current period rate. This means FIFO preserves cost period purity while weighted-average smooths costs across periods. Option B reverses which method uses which amount. Option C is incorrect; FIFO uses only $162,000 for the rate calculation. Option D is incorrect; the two methods will diverge whenever beginning WIP carries a different cost per unit than current period inputs. Question 14
A job-order costing company consistently underapplies overhead each year by a significant amount and disposes of the balance to cost of goods sold at year-end. Which concern does this recurring pattern raise?
- Underapplied overhead is favorable because actual overhead was less than the amount applied to jobs
- The predetermined overhead rate is likely set too low, causing persistent underallocation that overstates profits during the year and requires a large corrective COGS adjustment at year-end (correct answer)
- Disposing of underapplied overhead to COGS is prohibited under GAAP
- The underapplied balance indicates the company ran below budgeted activity levels, which is unrelated to the rate setting process
Explanation: Underapplied overhead means actual overhead exceeded applied overhead. A consistent pattern suggests the predetermined rate is systematically too low - perhaps based on optimistic activity assumptions - rather than a one-time variance. During the year, job costs are understated (less overhead applied per job), which overstates gross profit and operating income. The year-end adjustment to COGS corrects this but creates volatility in reported results. Option A reverses the definition: underapplied means actual exceeded applied, which is unfavorable. Option C is incorrect; disposing underapplied overhead to COGS is an acceptable simplified treatment under GAAP when immaterial. Option D addresses one possible cause but not the management implication.
Question 15
A manufacturer uses process costing (FIFO method). Beginning WIP: 2,000 units, 40% complete for conversion. Units started: 21,000. Units completed: 20,000. Ending WIP: 3,000 units, 60% complete for conversion. What are equivalent units of production for conversion costs under FIFO?
- 21,000 equivalent units (correct answer)
- 22,800 equivalent units
- 18,000 equivalent units
- 23,000 equivalent units
Explanation: FIFO EUP = (Beginning WIP x % remaining) + (Units started and completed) + (Ending WIP x % complete). Units started and completed = 20,000 - 2,000 = 18,000. EUP = (2,000 x 60%) + 18,000 + (3,000 x 60%) = 1,200 + 18,000 + 1,800 = 21,000. Option B uses weighted-average logic by adding all completed units plus ending WIP at full percentage. Option C counts only units started and completed. Option D uses 100% for beginning WIP remaining work.
Question 16
In process costing using the weighted-average method, equivalent units of production are calculated as which of the following?
- Units started and completed during the period plus units transferred to finished goods
- Units completed and transferred out plus the equivalent units represented by ending work-in-process (correct answer)
- Units started during the period minus units remaining in ending work-in-process
- Units transferred in plus units started minus units in beginning work-in-process
Explanation: Under the weighted-average method, equivalent units of production (EUP) = Units completed and transferred out + (Ending WIP units x Percentage of completion). This formula counts all units to which costs must be assigned - those fully completed and those partially completed in ending WIP. Option A is redundant because units transferred to finished goods are the completed units. Option C ignores the contribution of partially completed ending WIP units. Option D describes the flow of physical units but not the EUP calculation.
Question 17
Riverdale Co. uses process costing (weighted-average method). During the period, 18,000 units were completed and transferred out. Ending WIP consists of 4,000 units that are 50% complete for conversion costs. What are the equivalent units of production for conversion costs?
- 22,000 equivalent units
- 18,000 equivalent units
- 20,000 equivalent units (correct answer)
- 16,000 equivalent units
Explanation: EUP (conversion) = Units completed + (Ending WIP x % complete) = 18,000 + (4,000 x 50%) = 18,000 + 2,000 = 20,000. Option A includes ending WIP at 100% completion rather than 50%. Option B counts only completed units and ignores the partial completion of ending WIP. Option D counts ending WIP at 50% but subtracts rather than adds the result.
Question 18
A job cost sheet shows: direct materials $15,000, direct labor $12,000, applied overhead $9,000 (total $36,000). The job sold for $48,000. At year-end, the company determines the entire year's $8,000 underapplied overhead is allocable to this job. What is the adjusted gross profit after the overhead correction?
- $12,000
- $8,000
- $4,000 (correct answer)
- $20,000
Explanation: The $8,000 underapplied overhead is added to COGS, increasing it from $36,000 to $44,000. Adjusted gross profit = $48,000 - $44,000 = $4,000. Option A is the unadjusted gross profit before the overhead correction. Option B represents the overhead adjustment alone, not the gross profit. Option D adds the overhead correction to revenue rather than subtracting it from profit.
Question 19
A process costing company has beginning WIP of 5,000 units (70% complete for conversion), starts 40,000 units, completes and transfers out 38,000 units, and has ending WIP of 7,000 units (30% complete for conversion). Using the weighted-average method, what are equivalent units of production for conversion costs?
- 40,100 (correct answer)
- 43,000
- 38,000
- 41,500
Explanation: Weighted-average EUP = Units completed + (Ending WIP x % complete) = 38,000 + (7,000 x 30%) = 38,000 + 2,100 = 40,100. Option B treats ending WIP as fully complete (38,000 + 7,000 = 45,000 and then something else). Option C counts only completed units, ignoring ending WIP. Option D applies the wrong percentage to ending WIP (38,000 + 7,000 x 50% = 41,500).
Question 20
Riverdale Co. has a cost per equivalent unit of $18.00 for materials and $14.00 for conversion. What is the total cost assigned to the 18,000 units completed and transferred out?
- $252,000
- $576,000 (correct answer)
- $504,000
- $630,000
Explanation: Cost per completed unit = $18.00 + $14.00 = $32.00. Total cost transferred = 18,000 x $32.00 = $576,000. Option A applies only the conversion cost rate to all 18,000 units. Option C applies only the materials rate to all units. Option D applies an incorrectly higher combined rate.