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ABC Co. has the following information for the first quarter of its year:

       Machine     Cleaning            

        Hours        Expense

Jan>2,100 ---- $900

Feb>2,600 ----1,200

Mar>1,600 ----800

Apr>2,000 ----1,000

Using the high-low method, what is ABC's fixed cost?

 

A. $160

B. $320

C. $640

D. $1,040

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Question added by Hany Sabry , Finance Manager , GMC for Engineering & Feeding Industries (S.A.E)
Date Posted: 2015/01/22
VENKITARAMAN KRISHNA MOORTHY VRINDAVAN
by VENKITARAMAN KRISHNA MOORTHY VRINDAVAN , Project Execution Manager & Accounts Manager , ALI INTERNATIONAL TRADING EST.

High-Low method is one of the several techniques used to split a mixed cost into its fixed and variable components (see cost classifications).Although easy to understand, high low method is relatively unreliable.This is because it only takes two extreme activity levels (ie labor hours, machine hours, etc.) from a set of actual data of various activity levels and their corresponding total cost figures.These figures are then used to calculate the approximate variable cost per unit (b) and total fixed cost (a) to obtain a cost volume formula

:y = a + bx

High-Low Method Formulas

Variable Cost per UnitVariable cost per unit (b) is calculated using the following formula:

Variable Cost per Unit = y2 - y1 divided by x2 - x1

Where,y2 is the total cost at highest level of activity;

y1 is the total cost at lowest level of activity;

x2 are the number of units / labor hours etc.at highest level of activity;andx1 are the number of units / labor hours etc.at lowest level of activity

The variable cost per unit is equal to the slope of the cost volume line (ie change in total cost ÷ change in number of units produced)

Total fixed cost (a) is calculated by subtracting total variable cost from total cost.

In the given example:

Variable cost =0.40 $

Fixed Cost will be:$160 as explained by Mr. Abdul Rasheed. Mohammed.

Note: Due to its unreliability, high low method is rarely used.

 

 

Mohammed  Mohammed
by Mohammed Mohammed , Senior SAP Consultant , Abyat Mega Store

Answer is $160    correct .

 

variable cost = (1200-800) / () =0.4 per hour

 

Fixed cost =1200 -(2600*.04)=160

 

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