Accounting 1220 Exam 2 Multiple Choice
What is the formula for Contribution Margin?
A. Sales Revenue - Fixed Costs
B. Sales Revenue - Variable Costs
C. Sales Revenue - Total Costs
D. Variable Costs - Fixed Costs
Answer: B
Explanation: Contribution Margin is calculated as Sales Revenue minus Variable Costs, representing the amount available to cover fixed costs and generate profit.
What is Contribution Margin?
Contribution Margin represents the amount remaining from sales revenue after variable costs have been subtracted. It contributes to covering fixed costs and generating profit. It can be expressed both in total and per unit, and is a key metric for understanding how sales affect profitability.
How do you calculate the Contribution Margin Ratio?
A. (Variable Costs / Sales Revenue) × 100
B. (Sales Revenue / Fixed Costs) × 100
C. (Contribution Margin / Sales Revenue) × 100
D. (Fixed Costs / Sales Revenue) × 100
Answer: C
Explanation: The Contribution Margin Ratio shows the percentage of each sales dollar available to cover fixed costs and profit after covering variable costs.
What is the Breakeven Point in units formula?
A. Variable Costs / Sales Price per Unit
B. Fixed Costs / Sales Price per Unit
C. Fixed Costs / Contribution Margin per Unit
D. (Fixed Costs + Variable Costs) / Sales Price per Unit
Answer: C
Explanation: The breakeven point in units is the point where total sales revenue equals total costs (both fixed and variable), calculated using the formula Fixed Costs / Contribution Margin per Unit.
What is the Breakeven Point in sales dollars formula?
A. (Fixed Costs / Variable Costs) × Sales Revenue
B. Fixed Costs / Contribution Margin Ratio
C. Contribution Margin / Sales Revenue
D. (Variable Costs + Fixed Costs) / Contribution Margin Ratio
Answer: B
Explanation: The breakeven point in sales dollars indicates the sales revenue required to cover all costs, using the formula Fixed Costs / Contribution Margin Ratio.
How do you calculate Target Profit in units?
A. (Variable Costs / Sales Price per Unit) + Fixed Costs
B. Fixed Costs / Sales Price per Unit
C. (Fixed Costs + Target Profit) / Contribution Margin per Unit
D. Contribution Margin per Unit / Fixed Costs
Answer: C
Explanation: To determine how many units are needed to achieve a specific profit, use the formula (Fixed Costs + Target Profit) / Contribution Margin per Unit.
What is the Margin of Safety and how is it calculated?
A. Actual Sales - Variable Costs
B. Actual Sales - Breakeven Sales
C. Contribution Margin / Actual Sales
D. Fixed Costs - Variable Costs
Answer: B
Explanation: Margin of Safety measures the amount by which actual sales exceed the breakeven point, calculated as Actual Sales - Breakeven Sales.
Margin of Safety Percentage
A. (Breakeven Sales / Actual Sales) × 100
B. (Margin of Safety / Actual Sales) × 100
C. (Fixed Costs / Sales Revenue) × 100
D. (Actual Sales / Contribution Margin) × 100
Answer: B
Explanation: The Margin of Safety Percentage expresses how much sales can drop before reaching the breakeven point.
What is Operating Leverage and how is it calculated?
A. Contribution Margin / Operating Income
B. Variable Costs / Fixed Costs
C. Fixed Costs / Contribution Margin
D. Sales Revenue / Total Costs
Answer: A
Explanation: Operating Leverage measures how sensitive operating income is to a change in sales volume. It is calculated as Contribution Margin / Operating Income.
How do variable costs change with production volume?
A. Variable costs remain constant per unit but change in total with production volume
B. Variable costs remain constant in total but change per unit with production volume
C. Variable costs change unpredictably with production volume
D. Variable costs increase proportionally per unit with volume
Answer: A
Explanation: Variable costs per unit stay the same, but total variable costs change directly with production volume.
How do fixed costs change with production volume?
A. Fixed costs remain constant per unit but change in total with production volume
B. Fixed costs remain constant in total but vary per unit with production volume
C. Fixed costs decrease in total with increasing volume
D. Fixed costs increase in total with decreasing volume
Answer: B
Explanation: Total fixed costs remain unchanged, but as production increases, fixed costs per unit decrease.
How does the breakeven point change with a change in variable or fixed costs?
A. It increases with an increase in fixed or variable costs and decreases when they decrease
B. It decreases with an increase in variable costs and increases with a decrease in fixed costs
C. It remains constant regardless of costs
D. It fluctuates only when sales volume changes
Answer: A
Explanation: An increase in either fixed or variable costs raises the breakeven point, and a decrease lowers it.
If sales price per unit increases while variable costs and fixed costs remain constant, what happens to the contribution margin per unit?
A. It increases
B. It decreases
C. It remains the same
D. It fluctuates depending on fixed costs
Answer: A
Explanation: An increase in sales price per unit increases the contribution margin per unit.
How does a decrease in sales volume affect the margin of safety?
A. The margin of safety increases
B. The margin of safety decreases
C. The margin of safety remains constant
D. It depends on variable costs
Answer: B
Explanation: A decrease in sales volume lowers the margin of safety.
What does a high degree of operating leverage indicate?
A. High fixed costs relative to variable costs
B. Low fixed costs relative to variable costs
C. High variable costs relative to fixed costs
D. Low contribution margin
Answer: A
Explanation: A high degree of operating leverage indicates a greater proportion of fixed costs, leading to higher sensitivity in profit changes based on sales volume.
If a company wants to reduce its breakeven point, which of the following strategies would be most effective?
A. Increase fixed costs
B. Decrease the selling price per unit
C. Decrease variable costs per unit
D. Increase production volume
Answer: C
Explanation: Decreasing variable costs per unit lowers the breakeven point.
Which of the following is true about absorption costing?
A. It only includes variable manufacturing costs
B. It may cause operating income to fluctuate with production levels rather than sales
C. It excludes fixed overhead costs from product cost
D. It is always preferred for short-term decision-making
Answer: B
Explanation: Absorption costing allocates fixed manufacturing overhead to product costs, which can cause fluctuations in operating income when production levels vary.
Which formula correctly calculates the Contribution Margin?
A. Fixed Costs - Variable Costs
B. Sales Revenue - Variable Costs
C. Sales Revenue - Fixed Costs
D. Sales Revenue / Total Costs
Answer: B
Explanation: Contribution Margin is calculated by subtracting variable costs from sales revenue.
If fixed costs increase, what happens to the breakeven point?
A. The breakeven point decreases
B. The breakeven point increases
C. The breakeven point remains the same
D. The breakeven point fluctuates randomly
Answer: B
Explanation: An increase in fixed costs raises the breakeven point, as more units are required to cover the higher costs.
How is the margin of safety percentage calculated and what does it measure?
A. (Breakeven Sales / Actual Sales) × 100, measuring sales-to-cost ratio
B. (Margin of Safety / Actual Sales) × 100, indicating how much sales can drop before reaching breakeven
C. (Variable Costs / Actual Sales) × 100, measuring variable cost percentage
D. (Fixed Costs / Margin of Safety) × 100, indicating fixed cost coverage
Answer: B
Explanation: The Margin of Safety Percentage shows how much sales can drop before the company reaches its breakeven point.
What is a price taker?
*A price taker is a firm that must accept the prevailing market price for its goods or services, as it lacks the power to influence prices. Price takers typically operate in highly competitive markets where products are standardized, and consumers have many options.
What defines a price taker?
A. A firm that sets its own prices
B. A firm that accepts the market price without influencing it
C. A firm that sells unique products
D. A firm that has monopoly power
Answer: B
Explanation: A price taker accepts the prevailing market price because it cannot influence the price due to the competitive nature of the market.
Which of the following characteristics is typical of a price taker market?
A. Few sellers and many buyers
B. Products are highly differentiated
C. Many sellers and many buyers with similar products
D. High barriers to entry
Answer: C
Explanation: In a price taker market, many sellers and buyers exist, often with similar products, leading to competition that dictates prices.
If variable costs decrease, how does this affect the contribution margin per unit?
A. It decreases
B. It increases
C. It remains the same
D. It becomes negative
Answer: B
Explanation: A decrease in variable costs per unit increases the contribution margin per unit since more revenue is available to cover fixed costs and generate profit.
How do changes in sales volume affect the margin of safety?
A. Margin of safety increases with an increase in sales volume
B. Margin of safety decreases with an increase in sales volume
C. Margin of safety is unaffected by changes in sales volume
D. Margin of safety fluctuates randomly
Answer: A
Explanation: As sales volume increases, the margin of safety also increases because actual sales exceed the breakeven sales level by a larger amount.
In a scenario where fixed costs increase but sales remain constant, what will happen to the breakeven point?
A. It will decrease
B. It will remain the same
C. It will increase
D. It will fluctuate
Answer: C
Explanation: An increase in fixed costs will raise the breakeven point, meaning more sales are required to cover the higher costs.
If the contribution margin increases due to a higher selling price per unit, what happens to the breakeven point?
A. It increases
B. It decreases
C. It remains the same
D. It fluctuates
Answer: B
Explanation: An increase in contribution margin reduces the breakeven point because fewer units need to be sold to cover fixed costs.
What should managers consider when deciding whether to accept a special order?
A. Total fixed costs
B. Contribution margin of the order
C. Historical sales data
D. Market trends
Answer: B
Explanation: Managers should evaluate whether the contribution margin of the special order covers any additional variable costs and contributes positively to profit.
Which of the following factors is least relevant for short-term decision-making?
A. Contribution margin
B. Fixed costs
C. Variable costs
D. Long-term strategic goals
Answer: D
Explanation: While long-term goals are important, they are less relevant for immediate short-term decisions, which primarily focus on variable and contribution margins.
How do absorption costing and variable costing differ in terms of fixed overhead?
A. Absorption costing includes fixed overhead in product costs, while variable costing does not
B. Both costing methods include fixed overhead in the same way
C. Absorption costing only considers variable costs
D. Variable costing includes fixed overhead in product costs
Answer: A
Explanation: Absorption costing includes fixed manufacturing overhead in product costs, while variable costing treats it as a period expense.
The cost per unit decreases as volume increases for which of the following cost behaviors?
Variable costs and mixed costs
Variable costs and fixed costs
Fixed costs and mixed costs
Only fixed costs
Answer: C
32. If the cost per unit remains constant over a wide range of activity levels, the cost is most likely a
step cost.
variable cost.
fixed cost.
mixed cost.
Answer: B
33. If a company sells one unit above its breakeven sales, then its operating income would be equal to
the unit selling price.
the fixed expenses.
the unit contribution margin.
Zero.
Answer: C
34. What is the margin of safety?
the sales level at which operating income is zero
the difference between the sales price per unit and the variable cost per unit
the excess of expected sales over breakeven sales
the amount of fixed and variable costs that make up a company's total costs
Answer: C
35. The process of experimenting with base case, best case, and worst case scenarios to see what would happen to company profits under those conditions would be an example of
sequencing analysis.
breakeven analysis.
scenario analysis.
target profit analysis.
Answer: B
36. When making decisions, managers should consider
revenues that differ between alternatives.
only variable costs.
costs that do not differ between alternatives.
sunk costs.
Answer: A
37. Which of the following costs is irrelevant to business decisions?
Sunk costs
Variable costs
Avoidable costs
Costs that differ between alternatives
Answer: A
38. In making short-term special decisions, the decision-maker should
focus on total costs.
use a traditional absorption costing approach.
separate variable costs from fixed costs.
focus only on quantitative factors.
Answer: C
39. When pricing a product, managers must consider which of the following costs?
Only period costs
Only variable costs
Only manufacturing costs
All costs
Answer: D
40. When deciding whether to drop its CD label line, Avery Products Corporation would consider
how dropping the CD label product line would affect sales of its other label products.
the revenues it would lose from dropping the product line.
the costs it could save by dropping the product line.
all of the listed items should be considered.
Answer: D
41. To maximize its total contribution margin when it has a limited supply of the mineral nickel, Telsa, Inc., should focus on producing the car model that has the highest
contribution margin per unit of product.
profit per unit of product.
contribution margin per pound of nickel.
contribution margin ratio.
Answer: C
42. When making outsourcing decisions
avoidable fixed costs are irrelevant.
the variable cost producing the product in-house is relevant.
the manufacturing full unit cost of making the produce in-house is relevant.
expected use of the freed capacity is irrelevant.
Answer: B
What is the formula for Contribution Margin?
A. Sales Revenue - Fixed Costs
B. Sales Revenue - Variable Costs
C. Sales Revenue - Total Costs
D. Variable Costs - Fixed Costs
Answer: B
Explanation: Contribution Margin is calculated as Sales Revenue minus Variable Costs, representing the amount available to cover fixed costs and generate profit.
What is Contribution Margin?
Contribution Margin represents the amount remaining from sales revenue after variable costs have been subtracted. It contributes to covering fixed costs and generating profit. It can be expressed both in total and per unit, and is a key metric for understanding how sales affect profitability.
How do you calculate the Contribution Margin Ratio?
A. (Variable Costs / Sales Revenue) × 100
B. (Sales Revenue / Fixed Costs) × 100
C. (Contribution Margin / Sales Revenue) × 100
D. (Fixed Costs / Sales Revenue) × 100
Answer: C
Explanation: The Contribution Margin Ratio shows the percentage of each sales dollar available to cover fixed costs and profit after covering variable costs.
What is the Breakeven Point in units formula?
A. Variable Costs / Sales Price per Unit
B. Fixed Costs / Sales Price per Unit
C. Fixed Costs / Contribution Margin per Unit
D. (Fixed Costs + Variable Costs) / Sales Price per Unit
Answer: C
Explanation: The breakeven point in units is the point where total sales revenue equals total costs (both fixed and variable), calculated using the formula Fixed Costs / Contribution Margin per Unit.
What is the Breakeven Point in sales dollars formula?
A. (Fixed Costs / Variable Costs) × Sales Revenue
B. Fixed Costs / Contribution Margin Ratio
C. Contribution Margin / Sales Revenue
D. (Variable Costs + Fixed Costs) / Contribution Margin Ratio
Answer: B
Explanation: The breakeven point in sales dollars indicates the sales revenue required to cover all costs, using the formula Fixed Costs / Contribution Margin Ratio.
How do you calculate Target Profit in units?
A. (Variable Costs / Sales Price per Unit) + Fixed Costs
B. Fixed Costs / Sales Price per Unit
C. (Fixed Costs + Target Profit) / Contribution Margin per Unit
D. Contribution Margin per Unit / Fixed Costs
Answer: C
Explanation: To determine how many units are needed to achieve a specific profit, use the formula (Fixed Costs + Target Profit) / Contribution Margin per Unit.
What is the Margin of Safety and how is it calculated?
A. Actual Sales - Variable Costs
B. Actual Sales - Breakeven Sales
C. Contribution Margin / Actual Sales
D. Fixed Costs - Variable Costs
Answer: B
Explanation: Margin of Safety measures the amount by which actual sales exceed the breakeven point, calculated as Actual Sales - Breakeven Sales.
Margin of Safety Percentage
A. (Breakeven Sales / Actual Sales) × 100
B. (Margin of Safety / Actual Sales) × 100
C. (Fixed Costs / Sales Revenue) × 100
D. (Actual Sales / Contribution Margin) × 100
Answer: B
Explanation: The Margin of Safety Percentage expresses how much sales can drop before reaching the breakeven point.
What is Operating Leverage and how is it calculated?
A. Contribution Margin / Operating Income
B. Variable Costs / Fixed Costs
C. Fixed Costs / Contribution Margin
D. Sales Revenue / Total Costs
Answer: A
Explanation: Operating Leverage measures how sensitive operating income is to a change in sales volume. It is calculated as Contribution Margin / Operating Income.
How do variable costs change with production volume?
A. Variable costs remain constant per unit but change in total with production volume
B. Variable costs remain constant in total but change per unit with production volume
C. Variable costs change unpredictably with production volume
D. Variable costs increase proportionally per unit with volume
Answer: A
Explanation: Variable costs per unit stay the same, but total variable costs change directly with production volume.
How do fixed costs change with production volume?
A. Fixed costs remain constant per unit but change in total with production volume
B. Fixed costs remain constant in total but vary per unit with production volume
C. Fixed costs decrease in total with increasing volume
D. Fixed costs increase in total with decreasing volume
Answer: B
Explanation: Total fixed costs remain unchanged, but as production increases, fixed costs per unit decrease.
How does the breakeven point change with a change in variable or fixed costs?
A. It increases with an increase in fixed or variable costs and decreases when they decrease
B. It decreases with an increase in variable costs and increases with a decrease in fixed costs
C. It remains constant regardless of costs
D. It fluctuates only when sales volume changes
Answer: A
Explanation: An increase in either fixed or variable costs raises the breakeven point, and a decrease lowers it.
If sales price per unit increases while variable costs and fixed costs remain constant, what happens to the contribution margin per unit?
A. It increases
B. It decreases
C. It remains the same
D. It fluctuates depending on fixed costs
Answer: A
Explanation: An increase in sales price per unit increases the contribution margin per unit.
How does a decrease in sales volume affect the margin of safety?
A. The margin of safety increases
B. The margin of safety decreases
C. The margin of safety remains constant
D. It depends on variable costs
Answer: B
Explanation: A decrease in sales volume lowers the margin of safety.
What does a high degree of operating leverage indicate?
A. High fixed costs relative to variable costs
B. Low fixed costs relative to variable costs
C. High variable costs relative to fixed costs
D. Low contribution margin
Answer: A
Explanation: A high degree of operating leverage indicates a greater proportion of fixed costs, leading to higher sensitivity in profit changes based on sales volume.
If a company wants to reduce its breakeven point, which of the following strategies would be most effective?
A. Increase fixed costs
B. Decrease the selling price per unit
C. Decrease variable costs per unit
D. Increase production volume
Answer: C
Explanation: Decreasing variable costs per unit lowers the breakeven point.
Which of the following is true about absorption costing?
A. It only includes variable manufacturing costs
B. It may cause operating income to fluctuate with production levels rather than sales
C. It excludes fixed overhead costs from product cost
D. It is always preferred for short-term decision-making
Answer: B
Explanation: Absorption costing allocates fixed manufacturing overhead to product costs, which can cause fluctuations in operating income when production levels vary.
Which formula correctly calculates the Contribution Margin?
A. Fixed Costs - Variable Costs
B. Sales Revenue - Variable Costs
C. Sales Revenue - Fixed Costs
D. Sales Revenue / Total Costs
Answer: B
Explanation: Contribution Margin is calculated by subtracting variable costs from sales revenue.
If fixed costs increase, what happens to the breakeven point?
A. The breakeven point decreases
B. The breakeven point increases
C. The breakeven point remains the same
D. The breakeven point fluctuates randomly
Answer: B
Explanation: An increase in fixed costs raises the breakeven point, as more units are required to cover the higher costs.
How is the margin of safety percentage calculated and what does it measure?
A. (Breakeven Sales / Actual Sales) × 100, measuring sales-to-cost ratio
B. (Margin of Safety / Actual Sales) × 100, indicating how much sales can drop before reaching breakeven
C. (Variable Costs / Actual Sales) × 100, measuring variable cost percentage
D. (Fixed Costs / Margin of Safety) × 100, indicating fixed cost coverage
Answer: B
Explanation: The Margin of Safety Percentage shows how much sales can drop before the company reaches its breakeven point.
What is a price taker?
*A price taker is a firm that must accept the prevailing market price for its goods or services, as it lacks the power to influence prices. Price takers typically operate in highly competitive markets where products are standardized, and consumers have many options.
What defines a price taker?
A. A firm that sets its own prices
B. A firm that accepts the market price without influencing it
C. A firm that sells unique products
D. A firm that has monopoly power
Answer: B
Explanation: A price taker accepts the prevailing market price because it cannot influence the price due to the competitive nature of the market.
Which of the following characteristics is typical of a price taker market?
A. Few sellers and many buyers
B. Products are highly differentiated
C. Many sellers and many buyers with similar products
D. High barriers to entry
Answer: C
Explanation: In a price taker market, many sellers and buyers exist, often with similar products, leading to competition that dictates prices.
If variable costs decrease, how does this affect the contribution margin per unit?
A. It decreases
B. It increases
C. It remains the same
D. It becomes negative
Answer: B
Explanation: A decrease in variable costs per unit increases the contribution margin per unit since more revenue is available to cover fixed costs and generate profit.
How do changes in sales volume affect the margin of safety?
A. Margin of safety increases with an increase in sales volume
B. Margin of safety decreases with an increase in sales volume
C. Margin of safety is unaffected by changes in sales volume
D. Margin of safety fluctuates randomly
Answer: A
Explanation: As sales volume increases, the margin of safety also increases because actual sales exceed the breakeven sales level by a larger amount.
In a scenario where fixed costs increase but sales remain constant, what will happen to the breakeven point?
A. It will decrease
B. It will remain the same
C. It will increase
D. It will fluctuate
Answer: C
Explanation: An increase in fixed costs will raise the breakeven point, meaning more sales are required to cover the higher costs.
If the contribution margin increases due to a higher selling price per unit, what happens to the breakeven point?
A. It increases
B. It decreases
C. It remains the same
D. It fluctuates
Answer: B
Explanation: An increase in contribution margin reduces the breakeven point because fewer units need to be sold to cover fixed costs.
What should managers consider when deciding whether to accept a special order?
A. Total fixed costs
B. Contribution margin of the order
C. Historical sales data
D. Market trends
Answer: B
Explanation: Managers should evaluate whether the contribution margin of the special order covers any additional variable costs and contributes positively to profit.
Which of the following factors is least relevant for short-term decision-making?
A. Contribution margin
B. Fixed costs
C. Variable costs
D. Long-term strategic goals
Answer: D
Explanation: While long-term goals are important, they are less relevant for immediate short-term decisions, which primarily focus on variable and contribution margins.
How do absorption costing and variable costing differ in terms of fixed overhead?
A. Absorption costing includes fixed overhead in product costs, while variable costing does not
B. Both costing methods include fixed overhead in the same way
C. Absorption costing only considers variable costs
D. Variable costing includes fixed overhead in product costs
Answer: A
Explanation: Absorption costing includes fixed manufacturing overhead in product costs, while variable costing treats it as a period expense.
The cost per unit decreases as volume increases for which of the following cost behaviors?
Variable costs and mixed costs
Variable costs and fixed costs
Fixed costs and mixed costs
Only fixed costs
Answer: C
32. If the cost per unit remains constant over a wide range of activity levels, the cost is most likely a
step cost.
variable cost.
fixed cost.
mixed cost.
Answer: B
33. If a company sells one unit above its breakeven sales, then its operating income would be equal to
the unit selling price.
the fixed expenses.
the unit contribution margin.
Zero.
Answer: C
34. What is the margin of safety?
the sales level at which operating income is zero
the difference between the sales price per unit and the variable cost per unit
the excess of expected sales over breakeven sales
the amount of fixed and variable costs that make up a company's total costs
Answer: C
35. The process of experimenting with base case, best case, and worst case scenarios to see what would happen to company profits under those conditions would be an example of
sequencing analysis.
breakeven analysis.
scenario analysis.
target profit analysis.
Answer: B
36. When making decisions, managers should consider
revenues that differ between alternatives.
only variable costs.
costs that do not differ between alternatives.
sunk costs.
Answer: A
37. Which of the following costs is irrelevant to business decisions?
Sunk costs
Variable costs
Avoidable costs
Costs that differ between alternatives
Answer: A
38. In making short-term special decisions, the decision-maker should
focus on total costs.
use a traditional absorption costing approach.
separate variable costs from fixed costs.
focus only on quantitative factors.
Answer: C
39. When pricing a product, managers must consider which of the following costs?
Only period costs
Only variable costs
Only manufacturing costs
All costs
Answer: D
40. When deciding whether to drop its CD label line, Avery Products Corporation would consider
how dropping the CD label product line would affect sales of its other label products.
the revenues it would lose from dropping the product line.
the costs it could save by dropping the product line.
all of the listed items should be considered.
Answer: D
41. To maximize its total contribution margin when it has a limited supply of the mineral nickel, Telsa, Inc., should focus on producing the car model that has the highest
contribution margin per unit of product.
profit per unit of product.
contribution margin per pound of nickel.
contribution margin ratio.
Answer: C
42. When making outsourcing decisions
avoidable fixed costs are irrelevant.
the variable cost producing the product in-house is relevant.
the manufacturing full unit cost of making the produce in-house is relevant.
expected use of the freed capacity is irrelevant.
Answer: B