Interview Questions.

Question 1. How Do You Calculate The Break-even Point In Terms Of Sales?

Answer :

The wreck-even point in income greenbacks may be calculated by way of dividing a employer's fixed fees by the agency's contribution margin ratio.

The contribution margin is income minus variable prices. When the contribution margin is expressed as a percentage of sales it's miles referred to as the contribution margin ratio. (When we use the time period "constant prices" we mean the enterprise's overall amount of fixed fees plus its fixed fees. When we say "variable fees" we imply the whole of the enterprise's variable fees plus its variable expenses.)

Let's illustrate the destroy-even point in sales bucks with the subsequent information. A corporation has constant costs of $one hundred,000 in line with year. Its variable charges are about 80% of sales. This way that the contribution margin ratio is 20%. (Sales minus the variable costs of 80% of sales leaves a remainder of 20% of sales. In other phrases, after deducting the variable expenses there remains only 20% of each income greenback to move towards the constant fees and profits. ) The fixed charges of $100,000 divided with the aid of the contribution margin ratio of 20% equals $500,000. This tells you that if the organisation has sales of approximately $500,000 it will likely be on the spoil-even point—the point in which sales can be identical to all of the enterprise's charges.

It is wise to check your calculated wreck-even factor. In our instance the income needed to be $500,000. If the variable charges are eighty% of income, the variable charges might be $four hundred,000 (eighty% of $500,000). This leaves $a hundred,000 as the contribution margin in dollars. After subtracting the constant fees of $100,000, the net income can be zero.

Question 2. What Is Cost Accounting?

Answer :

Cost accounting entails the techniques for:

figuring out the expenses of products, processes, initiatives, and so on. With a purpose to document the correct quantities on the monetary statements, and
supporting control in making selections and in the making plans and manipulate of an business enterprise.
For example, price accounting is used to compute the unit cost of a producer's products in an effort to report the fee of inventory on its stability sheet and the price of products bought on its profits assertion. This is achieved with techniques along with the allocation of manufacturing overhead costs and through using procedure costing, operations costing, and process-order costing systems.

Cost accounting assists management by means of offering analysis of value conduct, value-extent-earnings relationships, operational and capital budgeting, popular costing, variance analyses for charges and revenues, transfer pricing, hobby-primarily based costing, and more.

Cost accounting had its roots in manufacturing organizations, however these days it extends to carrier groups. For example, a financial institution will use value accounting to decide the price of processing a client's test and/or a deposit. This in turn can also provide management with steerage inside the pricing of those services.

Managerial Economics Interview Questions
Question 3. What Is The Difference Between Gross Margin And Contribution Margin?

Answer :

Gross Margin is the Gross Profit as a percentage of Net Sales. The calculation of the Gross Profit is: Sales minus Cost of Goods Sold. The Cost of Goods Sold includes the constant and variable product fees, however it excludes all the promoting and administrative costs.

Contribution Margin is Net Sales minus the variable product costs and the variable period expenses. The Contribution Margin Ratio is the Contribution Margin as a percentage of Net Sales.

Let's illustrate the difference among gross margin and contribution margin with the subsequent records: business enterprise had Net Sales of $six hundred,000 all through the beyond 12 months. Its inventory of goods became the equal amount at the start and at the give up of 12 months. Its Cost of Goods Sold consisted of $one hundred twenty,000 of variable fees and $200,000 of fixed prices. Its selling and administrative charges have been $forty,000 of variable and $150,000 of fixed fees.

The business enterprise's Gross Margin is: Net Sales of $600,000 minus its Cost of Goods Sold of $320,000 ($one hundred twenty,000 + $2 hundred,000) for a Gross Profit of $280,000 ($600,000 - $320,000). The Gross Margin or Gross Profit Percentage is the Gross Profit of $280,000 divided via $six hundred,000, or forty six.7%.

The corporation's Contribution Margin is: Net Sales of $600,000 minus the variable product fees of $a hundred and twenty,000 and the variable prices of $forty,000 for a Contribution Margin of $440,000. The Contribution Margin Ratio is seventy three.3% ($440,000 divided by using $six hundred,000).

Question 4. What Is Contribution Margin?

Answer :

In accounting contribution margin is defined as revenues minus variable expenses. In different phrases, the contribution margin reveals how tons of a agency's sales could be contributing (after masking the variable costs) to the enterprise's constant expenses and net profits. The contribution margin can be provided as

the overall amount for the organization,
the quantity for each product line,
the amount for a single unit of product, and
as a ratio or percentage of net sales.
The contribution margin of a producer is the quantity of internet income that is in extra of the variable manufacturing fees and the variable SG&A prices. To illustrate, let's assume that a manufacturer has a single product and eighty,000 units had been produced and sold at some point of a recent year.

The promoting fee was $10 per unit, variable manufacturing fees were $3 consistent with unit, and variable SG&A fees had been $1 consistent with unit. The employer's fixed production charges had been $three hundred,000 and its constant SG&A expenses were $ninety,000. The agency's contribution margin become $480,000 ($800,000 - $240,000 - $80,000). The contribution margin per unit was $6 ($10 - $3 - $1). The contribution margin ratio turned into 60% ($6/$10 or $480,000/$800,000).

Managerial Economics Tutorial
Question 5. What Is The Break-even Point?

Answer :

In accounting, the damage-even factor refers to the sales had to cover a company's general amount of fixed and variable costs all through a special time frame. The revenues will be stated in greenbacks (or other currencies), in units, hours of offerings furnished, and so forth.

The destroy-even calculations are primarily based on the assumption that the change in a organisation's expenses is related to the alternate in revenues. This assumption won't hold proper for the subsequent motives:

A business enterprise is probably to have many diverse products with various ranges of profitability.
A business enterprise can also have many various clients with varying needs for special attention. Hence a few costs will boom for motives aside from the sale of additional units of product.
A organisation can be promoting in a selection of markets. This could result in the selling prices in one market or u . S . Being lower than the selling fees in every other marketplace or united states of america.
The agency might also see common fluctuations in its sales blend.
The primary calculation of the smash-even factor in income dollars for a year is: fixed charges (constant production, constant SG&A, constant hobby) for the yr divided via the contribution margin ratio or percentage.

The primary calculation of the destroy-even factor in gadgets bought for a yr is: fixed costs for the year divided by the contribution margin consistent with unit of product.

If we assume that a corporation's fixed fees are $480,000 for a yr, the variable expenses (variable manufacturing, variable SG&A, variable hobby) average $8 in keeping with unit of product, and the promoting expenses common $20 in step with unit (resulting in a contribution margin of $12 or 60% of the selling rate)...

The smash-even point in income bucks is $800,000 [$480,000 divided by 60%]
the destroy-even point in units of product is forty,000 [$480,000 divided by $12 per unit]
Cost Accounting Interview Questions
Question 6. What Is The High-low Method?

Answer :

The high-low approach is a simple method for computing the variable value fee and the overall amount of constant prices which can be a part of mixed fees. Mixed expenses are charges which are in part variable and partly fixed. The cost of power utilized in a factory is in all likelihood to be a combined price considering the fact that a number of the electricity will range with the variety of system hours, while some of the fee will now not range with system hours. Perhaps this 2nd a part of the electricity price is related to circulating and chilling the air within the manufacturing unit and from the public application billing its massive customers with a full-size constant month-to-month charge not at once tied to the kilowatt hours of strength used.

The excessive-low technique makes use of two units of numbers: 1) the entire dollars of the blended expenses taking place at the highest volume of pastime, and 2) the overall greenbacks of the combined prices taking place at the bottom quantity of pastime. It is believed that at each factors of hobby the whole quantity of fixed costs is the equal. Therefore, the change inside the total expenses is thought to be the variable cost rate instances the change within the wide variety of units of interest. Prior to the usage of the excessive-low technique, it's far critical to devise or graph all the records available to be sure that the two units of numbers being used are certainly consultant.

To illustrate the excessive-low approach, let's assume that a corporation had overall prices of energy of $18,000 inside the month whilst its maximum hobby was 120,000 system hours. (Be positive to healthy the dates of the gadget hours to the electric meter studying dates.) During the month of its lowest interest there had been one hundred,000 system hours and the overall cost of energy changed into $sixteen,000. This manner that the overall monthly price of energy modified via $2,000 while the range of gadget hours modified by using 20,000. This shows that the variable cost price was $0.10 consistent with gadget hour.

Continuing with this situation, if the entire strength value turned into $18,000 when there have been one hundred twenty,000 system hours, the variable element is thought to have been $12,000 (a hundred and twenty,000 machine hours times $0.10). Since the entire strength cost turned into $18,000 and the variable price turned into calculated to be $12,000, the constant price of energy for the month have to had been the $6,000. If we use the lowest stage of hobby, the overall price of $sixteen,000 might include $10,000 of variable value (100,000 system hours instances $0.10) with the the rest of $6,000 being the constant value for the month.

Question 7. What Is Cost Behavior?

Answer :

Cost behavior is related to getting to know how costs exchange whilst there is a change in an organization's stage of hobby. The costs which vary proportionately with the changes in the degree of pastime are referred to as variable prices. The fees which are unaffected by way of changes within the degree of interest are categorised as fixed charges.

Cost behavior isn't always required for external reporting underneath U.S. GAAP. However, the understanding of price behavior could be very important for control's efforts to plot and control its organization's fees. Budgets and variance reports are more powerful after they replicate value conduct patterns.

The knowledge of fee conduct is likewise essential for calculating a business enterprise's ruin-even point and for every other fee-extent-earnings analysis.

Bid Evaluation Interview Questions
Question eight. What Is The Margin Of Safety?

Answer :

Margin of protection is used in smash-even evaluation to signify the amount of sales which can be above the spoil-even point. In other phrases, the margin of safety shows the quantity by means of which a corporation's income could decrease before the organisation will become unprofitable.

Question 9. What Are Mixed Costs?

Answer :

The term combined costs regularly refers to the behavior of charges and prices. Mixed expenses consist of a set element and a variable issue. The annual cost of working an automobile is a combined price. Some of the charges are constant, because they do not exchange in overall as the range of annual miles trade. Think insurance, parking charges, and some depreciation. Other prices are variable, because they will growth for the yr when the miles pushed growth (and will lower when the miles driven lower). Think fuel, oil, tires, and some depreciation.

The algebraic method for a blended fee is y = a + bx, where y is the full cost, a is the fixed fee in line with duration, b is the variable charge in step with unit of hobby, and x is the quantity of gadgets of activity. For the once a year fee of operating an automobile, the constant fee, a, might be $5,000 consistent with year; the variable fee, b, will be $zero.20; and the range of units of interest, x, might be 15,000 miles in step with 12 months. With those hypothetical assumptions, the once a year fee, y, might be $8,000. If x had been 10,000 miles, the once a year cost y could be $7,000.

To gain insight on the conduct of a blended price, it is helpful to graph the cost: For each remark, imply a point on the graph in which the whole mixed cost amount aligns with the quantities on y-axis and also aligns with the pastime quantities at the x-axis. To compute the great becoming line thru the graphed information, you may use a mathematical tool referred to as regression evaluation. This will calculate the fixed fees, a, and the variable price, b, primarily based on the historical information this is applied.

Economic Development Interview Questions
Question 10. Are Direct Costs Fixed And Indirect Costs Variable?

Answer :

Direct product fees along with raw materials are variable fees. Variable product charges boom in general as greater units of products are manufactured.

Costs which can be direct to a department might be variable or fixed. For instance, a manager inside the portray department might be an instantaneous fee to the painting branch. Since the manager's salary is likely to be the equal quantity every month irrespective of the amount of merchandise synthetic, it's far a hard and fast price to the branch. The materials provided to the painting branch will be a direct price to the department, however will be a variable fee to the branch if the full quantity of substances used in the department increases because the extent or pastime inside the branch increases.

An indirect product cost is the strength used to perform a production gadget. The cost of the electricity is variable due to the fact the overall power used is extra while greater products are manufactured at the device. Depreciation at the manufacturing system is also an indirect product fee, except additionally it is a hard and fast value. That is, the system's total depreciation fee is the identical each yr regardless of extent produced at the device.

As you can see, costs may be direct and oblique relying on the cost item: product, department, and others consisting of division, customer, geographic marketplace. The cost is fixed if the full quantity of the price does not alternate as quantity adjustments. If the overall cost does trade in percentage to the change in the hobby or volume, it's far a variable cost.

Question 11. What Is Marginal Cost?

Answer :

Marginal price is the price of the next unit or one extra unit of extent or output.

To illustrate marginal price let's expect that the overall fee of producing 10,000 units is $50,000. If you produce a complete of 10,001 units the total fee is $50,002. That could suggest the marginal value—the cost of producing the subsequent unit—became $2.

The cause that the marginal fee was $2 in preference to the previous common cost of $5 ($50,000 divided with the aid of 10,000 gadgets) is that some fees did no longer growth when the extra unit was produced. For example, constant prices which includes salaries, depreciation, belongings taxes normally do no longer growth while one extra unit is produced.

Marginal price Interview Questions
Question 12. What Is The Contribution Margin Ratio?

Answer :

The contribution margin ratio is the share of income, carrier sales or promoting rate that stays in any case variable prices and variable fees were blanketed. In other phrases, the contribution margin ratio is the percentage of revenues that is available to cowl a agency's constant expenses, constant prices, and profit. (The contribution margin ratio isn't like the gross margin ratio or gross profit percent and can't be computed without delay from the pronounced amounts on the corporation's external profits declaration.)

To illustrate the contribution margin ratio, we can count on that a business enterprise manufactures and sells a unmarried product and has the subsequent information:

promoting price per unit of $20
fixed manufacturing prices in keeping with month of $18,000
variable production fees in line with unit of $4
constant SG&A prices consistent with month of $12,000
variable SG&A prices per unit of $2
fixed interest fee according to month of $1,000
In this situation the contribution margin in step with unit is $14 (the promoting charge of $20 minus the variable manufacturing costs of $four and variable SG&A fees of $2). Hence, the contribution margin ratio is 70% (the contribution margin in line with unit of $14 divided by using the selling price of $20). This contribution margin ratio tells us that 70% of the sales, sales, or selling charge is available to cover the $31,000 of monthly fixed costs and stuck charges. Once the $31,000 has been blanketed, 70% of the revenues will go with the flow to the enterprise's net earnings.

Managerial Economics Interview Questions
Question 13. What Causes An Increase In Break-even Point?

Answer :

There are several motives why a organization's spoil-even factor will increase. One cause is an increase inside the corporation's constant fees, such as lease, depreciation, salaries of managers and executives, and so forth.

A 2d cause for an growth in a company's damage-even point is a reduction within the contribution margin. Contribution margin is sales minus the variable charges and variable charges. An growth in the variable expenses and costs with out a corresponding growth in promoting fees will motive the contribution margin to reduce. With much less contribution margin, it'll take more sales in order to cover the fixed costs and glued prices. Of route, a decrease in promoting rate may even growth the ruin-even factor.

Another cause for a alternate within the smash-even point is a trade within the blend of services or products brought. In other words, a few merchandise have better contribution margins, and a few merchandise have decrease contribution margins. If a employer keeps to promote the same overall number of devices of product, but a greater percentage of the units offered have a lower contribution margin, the business enterprise's ruin-even factor will increase.

Question 14. How Do You Reduce A Company's Break-even Point?

Answer :

The formula for a product's destroy-even factor expressed in gadgets is: Total Fixed Costs divided by means of Contribution Margin in keeping with Unit. The contribution margin in keeping with unit is the product's promoting rate minus its variable charges and charges. Fixed prices and stuck costs are those which do no longer change as quantity adjustments. Variable charges and costs increase as volume will increase and they will decrease when extent decreases.

To lessen a organization's ruin-even factor you may lessen the quantity of fixed fees. When an car producer cuts hundreds of salaried positions and closes assembly flora that are not absolutely utilized, the employer is decreasing its constant expenses with the aid of masses of hundreds of thousands of dollars each yr. Having fewer fixed expenses method fewer vehicle sales may be required to cover them.

You can also lessen the wreck-even point by means of increasing the contribution margin per unit. The contribution margin will boom if there's a reduction in variable charges and fees in line with unit. For example, if a car corporation can gain components at a discounted cost, the variable fees lower. The reduced variable charges way that the contribution margin multiplied.

The contribution margin will also increase if the corporation is capable of increase its promoting costs. (Of path the organization should be careful that the expanded selling charge does not reason fewer unit sales.)

Perhaps a combination of decreased constant expenses, reduced variable prices, and slight increases in costs is viable. Some merchandise might be redesigned to provide specific capabilities that customers can pay for and the additional revenue is more than the variable charges required to feature those functions.

Reality is extra complex than a simple formula due to the fact groups have a couple of product, opposition might not permit for increasing promoting prices, contracts won't permit sure movements, and so on.

Question 15. What Is Elastic Demand?

Answer :

Elastic demand means that demand for a product is touchy to rate changes. For instance, if the promoting rate of a product is expanded, there could be fewer devices offered. If the selling fee of a product decreases, there will be an increase within the quantity of gadgets sold. Elastic demand is likewise known as the fee elasticity of call for.

The term inelastic call for method that the call for for a product isn't touchy to price adjustments.

Elastic call for is a major concern for a manufacturer that attempts to set product expenses primarily based on charges. For example, if the producer's manufacturing and sales have declined and it fails to cut constant prices, the manufacturer might be worse off with the aid of growing selling charges.

Use the search field on AccountingCoach.Com for our Q&A on dying spiral which is pertinent to elastic demand.

Cost of goods offered Interview Questions
Question 16. Why Does The Fixed Cost Per Unit Change?

Answer :

Fixed expenses together with hire or a manager's salary will no longer trade in general inside an affordable variety of extent or hobby. For instance, the rent might be $2,500 according to month and the manager's income is probably $three,500 consistent with month. This total fixed value of $6,000 in keeping with month will be the equal whether the extent is 3,000 devices or four,000 gadgets.

On the other hand, the fixed cost in keeping with unit will change as the level of volume or pastime changes. Using the quantities above, the constant fee according to unit is $2 whilst the extent is 3,000 gadgets ($6,000 divided through 3,000 devices). When the extent is four,000 devices, the constant fee in keeping with unit is $1.50 ($6,000 divided by using four,000 units).

Question 17. What Is A Variable Cost?

Answer :

A variable cost is a steady quantity in step with unit produced or used. Therefore, the entire amount of the variable value will trade proportionately with volume or pastime. Generally, a product's direct materials are a variable value.

To illustrate, allow's anticipate that a bakery makes use of one pound of flour at a fee of $0.70 according to pound for each loaf of bread it produces. If no bread is produced the full value of flour is $zero. If one loaf is produced the full fee of flour is $zero.70. When 10 loaves are produced the whole price of flour is $7.00. At the extent of 30 loaves the price of flour is $21 (30 loaves X 1 pound X $0.70 in line with pound).

An rate also can be a variable price. For example, if a organisation will pay a 5% sales commission on every sale, the organization's income fee price could be a variable price. When the organisation has no income the total sales commission rate is $0. When income are $one hundred,000 the income commission rate can be $5,000. Sales of $2 hundred,000 will suggest total sales fee fee of $10,000. Sales of $400,000 will result in total income fee cost of $20,000.

Question 18. What Are The Methods For Separating Mixed Costs Into Fixed And Variable?

Answer :

I recognize of three strategies for setting apart combined prices into their constant and variable fee additives:

Prepare a scattergraph with the aid of plotting factors onto a graph.
High-low method.
Regression analysis.
It is smart to prepare the scattergraph even if you use the excessive-low approach or regression analysis. The benefit of the scattergraph is that it lets in you to see if some of the plotted factors are clearly out of line. These factors are known as outliers and could want to be reviewed and likely adjusted or removed. In different phrases, you don't need wrong information to distort your calculations below any of the 3 methods.

Let's assume that a organization makes use of only one form of gadget and it desires to realize how tons of the month-to-month energy invoice is a consistent quantity and what sort of the strength invoice will growth when its device runs for an extra hour. The scattergraph's vertical or y-axis will imply the bucks of total monthly strength fee. Its horizontal or x-axis will suggest the number of system hours. For each month-to-month strength invoice, a point will be entered on the graph on the intersection of the dollar amount of the total energy invoice and the equipment hours happening among the meter studying dates shown on the strength invoice. If you plot this statistics for the most recent twelve months, you may see some type of pattern, including a line that rises because the variety of equipment hours increase.

If you draw a line through the plotted factors and expand the line through the y-axis, the quantity wherein the line crosses the y-axis is the approximate amount of constant expenses for every month. The slope of the road indicates the variable value per gadget hour. The slope or variable charge is the increase within the total month-to-month power price divided by the change within the total quantity of system hours.

The high-low calculation is similar however it uses best  of the plotted points: the best point and the lowest factor.

Regression analysis uses all the month-to-month energy bill amounts along side their related quantity of equipment hours with a view to calculate the month-to-month constant cost of strength and the variable fee for every gadget hour. Software can be used for regression analysis and it will also offer statistical insights.

If  a scattergraph of records suggests no clean sample, you should not location tons confidence inside the calculated amount of  the fixed fee and variable charge regardless of the technique used.

Cost Accounting Interview Questions
Question 19. Is Contribution Margin The Same As Operating Income?

Answer :

Contribution margin isn't the same as operating profits.

Contribution margin is sales minus the variable prices and prices. For example, a store's contribution margin is income minus the fee of goods bought and the variable promoting prices and the variable administrative costs and any variable nonoperating charges. (Perhaps some hobby rate varies with sales.)

A store's operating earnings is income minus the cost of products offered and all selling and administrative charges (fixed and variable). Operating profits is the net profits earlier than the nonoperating gadgets which include hobby sales, interest cost, benefit or loss on the sale of plant assets, and so forth.

Question 20. What Is The Difference Between Expense And Loss?

Answer :

An rate is a cost used up in earning sales in a corporation's main operations. Some examples of prices consist of advertising price, fee fee, hire price, fee of goods sold, salaries cost, and so forth. Expenses additionally encompass expenses used up for the duration of the accounting duration along with interest fee, insurance expense, and depreciation fee.

A loss is related to a "peripheral" or "incidental" transaction. Examples of losses include the loss at the sale of an asset used within the enterprise, loss from a lawsuit agreement, and loss from retirement of bonds. However, there are some losses that are towards operations, together with the loss on write-down of stock from cost to marketplace.

Question 21. What Is Sales Mix?

Answer :

Sales mix is the relative proportion or ratio of a business's merchandise which might be sold. Sales mix is critical because a company's merchandise are possibly to vary in their profitability.

To illustrate sales blend, permit's anticipate that an vehicle employer plans to sell a hundred,000 gadgets within the current yr. The planned income mix is 20,000 devices of the low-profit models + 50,000 devices of the medium-profit fashions + 30,000 devices of the excessive-income models. In other words, the deliberate sales blend is 20%, 50%, 30%.

Next, shall we expect that the overall units truely bought amounted to ninety five,000 devices (that's five,000 fewer devices than planned). This could be a problem for the employer attaining its deliberate earnings. However, it depends at the real sales blend. What if the actual sales blend is 15%, 45%, forty%? This real income blend suggests a smaller share of low-income and medium-earnings gadgets being offered and a bigger proportion of high-income devices being bought. In other phrases, this progressed income blend ought to imply extra profits despite the fact that 5,000 fewer devices were sold.

Sales blend also applies to provider organizations for the reason that services supplied are possibly to vary in their profitability.

Question 22. What Is The Difference Between Break-even Point And Payback Period?

Answer :

Break-even factor is the quantity of sales or services that will bring about no internet profits or net loss on a agency's earnings announcement. In other phrases, the wreck-even factor specializes in the sales had to equal precisely all of the fees on a single earnings statement organized beneath the accrual technique of accounting.

The ruin-even point in dollars of sales can be calculated with the aid of dividing a company's total constant costs through its contribution margin ratio. The spoil-even calculation assumes that the selling expenses, contribution margin ratio, and glued costs will not exchange.

Payback duration is the range of years wanted for a employer to acquire internet coins inflows that combination to the quantity of an preliminary coins funding. Hence the payback length focuses on the pertinent cash flows of multiple accounting years rather than the net earnings of a unmarried accounting duration. The payback duration is often computed when comparing ability capital fees. However, the payback duration is considered to be wrong as it ignores 1) the coins flows occurring after the payback length, and a couple of) the time value of money.

Question 23. What Is A Fixed Expense?

Answer :

A constant price is an price on the way to be the same overall quantity regardless of changes in the amount of sales, manufacturing, or a few other hobby. For example, a retailer's monthly hire cost of $2,000 is a hard and fast fee because it will be a total of $2,000 whether or not the monthly income are $15,000 or $30,000. We generally qualify the definition of a set price via adding: inside a applicable or reasonable variety of activity. In different phrases, if the store wishes to have month-to-month income of $eighty,000 it is probable that the store will want to lease additional area, thereby increasing lease fee to be greater than $2,000 in line with month.

The following are some examples of charges which might be probable to be constant inside a reasonable variety of sales:

the compensation of the shop supervisor who gets the equal profits and fringe blessings every month
the depreciation cost for a store's homes, fixtures, and gadget
the constant month-to-month amounts for protection, maintenance costs, phones, internet provider, insurance, lighting, advertising, and many others.
Knowing the quantity of a business enterprise's constant costs assists in know-how how its net income will alternate as extent modifications. The general quantity of constant expenses also can be used to speedy estimate a enterprise's break-even point.

Question 24. What Is A Learning Curve?

Answer :

A common studying curve indicates that the cumulative common time to finish a guide undertaking which entails getting to know will decrease 20% each time quantity doubles. This is known as an eighty% mastering curve.

Let's illustrate the 80% learning curve with a person mastering to design and code web sites of comparable size and complexity. If the first internet site takes 100 hours, then after the second one website the cumulative average time can be 80 hours (eighty% of 100 hours). The cumulative common of eighty hours consists of one hundred hours for the first website plus most effective 60 hours for the second website ensuing in a total of 160 hours divided via 2 websites. After the fourth internet site the cumulative average time may be 64 hours (80% of 80 hours). After the eighth website the cumulative common may be 51.2 hours (80% of 64 hours). In different words, the full time to have finished all eight web sites may be 409.6 hours (8 websites times a mean time of fifty one.2 hours).

Improvements in era can suggest time and price discounts past those inside the getting to know curve. For example, software program may come to be available to help within the design and coding, laptop processing speeds may increase, there may be lower costs of processing and garage, and so forth.

The learning curve is critical for placing standards, estimating expenses, and organising promoting prices.

Bid Evaluation Interview Questions
Question 25. What Is A Fixed Cost?

Answer :

A constant price is one that doesn't change in general within an affordable range of activity. For example, the rent for a production facility is a fixed value if the lease will not alternate when there are reasonable adjustments in the amount of output or enter. (Of path, if there's a need to double the output the lease will alternate when the agency occupies extra paintings area.)

While a hard and fast fee remains constant in total, the fixed value per unit of output or input will exchange inversely with the exchange in the amount of output or input. For instance, if the lease of the manufacturing facility is constant at $a hundred and twenty,000 in step with yr and there are 30,000 gadget hours of excellent output in the course of the yr, the hire will be $four ($a hundred and twenty,000/30,000) consistent with gadget hour. If there are 40,000 gadget hours throughout the 12 months, the hire might be $3 ($a hundred and twenty,000/forty,000) per system hour.

Many manufacturing overhead costs are fixed and the amounts occur in large increments. Some examples consist of depreciation on a employer-owned factory, depreciation on machinery and gadget, salaries and benefits of manufacturing supervisors, manufacturing facility administration fees, and so on. One project for accountants is the allocation or assigning of the massive fixed expenses to the character devices of product (which possibly range in length and complexity). This allocation (or assigning or absorbing) is needed by way of the accounting and income tax regulations for valuing inventories and the price of products sold. If the fixed overhead is assigned the use of system hours, one need to keep in mind that the value rate per device hour is not how the constant prices behave or arise. In our example, the cost of the lease might be assigned to the goods at the price of $3 or $4 in line with system hour however the rent virtually takes place at the price of $10,000 in line with month.

Question 26. How Do You Reduce The Break-even Point?

Answer :

Ways to lessen a business enterprise's spoil-even point encompass 1) reducing the amount of constant prices, 2) reducing the variable charges in keeping with unit—thereby growing the unit's contribution margin, three) enhancing the income blend by promoting a greater share of the products having larger contribution margins, and 4) growing promoting costs as long as the variety of devices bought will now not decline extensively.

Question 27. How Do We Deal With A Negative Contribution Margin Ratio When Calculating Our Break-even Point?

Answer :

The negative contribution margin ratio suggests that your variable fees and charges exceed your sales. In other phrases, if you growth your income within the same proportion as the past, you'll experience large losses.

My recommendation is to calculate the contribution margin and contribution margin ratio for every product (or service) that you provide. I suspect that some of your items have fine contribution margins, but the merchandise with poor contribution margins are more. You need to get into the details.

You also want to take a look at each of your customers. Perhaps a few customers are shopping for in huge portions, however the ones income are not profitable. See which customers have nice contribution margins.

By definition, the approaches to cast off the bad contribution margin are to 1) improve promoting expenses, 2) reduce variable expenses, or three) do some aggregate of the first . If clients will now not be given fee will increase so as with a view to cowl your variable prices, you are possibly higher off not having the sales. Remember that when protecting the variable fees, those promoting fees must then cover the fixed fees and fees. A overall bad contribution margin means your loss will be larger than the quantity of the constant expenses and charges.

When putting fees or bidding for brand new work, you have to consider the bottom line—profits. Many humans focus too much at the top line—sales.

Economic Development Interview Questions
Question 28. What Is The Difference Between A Differential Cost And An Incremental Cost?

Answer :

I use the phrases differential cost and incremental cost interchangeably. In other words, I consider the terms imply the equal component: the difference in cost between two options. For example, if a organisation determined that the once a year fee of operating at 80,000 machine hours was $four,000,000 while the annual fee of operating at 70,000 device hours become $three,800,000, then the differential value or incremental cost of the extra 10,000 device hours turned into $200,000.

Question 29. Is The Cost Of Land, Buildings, And Machinery A Fixed Cost?

Answer :

Some people consult with land, homes, and equipment as fixed property. They are also known as plant property, or as assets, plant, and device.

The depreciation rate on the homes and equipment is often viewed as a set fee or constant expense. Hence, inside the calculation of the break-even factor, the annual depreciation rate at the fixed property apart from land is a part of the fixed costs or constant prices. There is not any depreciation of land.

Question 30. What Is A Variable Expense?

Answer :

An price is a variable fee whilst its overall quantity adjustments in percentage to the alternate in income, manufacturing, or a few other activity. 

To illustrate a variable cost, permit's count on that a internet site commercial enterprise sells a product and calls for that the purchaser use a credit card. The credit card processor expenses the commercial enterprise a price of 3% of the quantity charged. Therefore, in a month while income are $10,000 the commercial enterprise can have a credit score card rate of $300. If income are $30,000 there may be a credit card expense of $900. The overall credit score card cost varies with sales because the price has a hard and fast fee of three% of income.

Another instance of a variable rate is a store's fee of products sold. For instance, if a enterprise purchases a product for $30 after which sells it for $50, its value of goods offered might be a constant rate of 60%. Hence when its income are $10,000 the price of products can be $6,000. When the sales are $30,000 the fee of goods sold will be $18,000.

Knowing how costs behave whilst sales or other activities exchange will will let you higher recognize how a organization's net profits will change. It also permits you to speedy calculate a product's contribution margin and to estimate the corporation's damage-even point.

Question 31. What Are Semivariable Costs?

Answer :

Semivariable costs are fees or costs whose conduct is partially fixed and in part variable. Semivariable costs also are called mixed prices.

A common instance of a semivariable fee is the annual fee of operating a car. Some of the car's working expenses will vary with the quantity of miles driven while different costs can be the identical in total irrespective of the miles driven. For instance, the automobile's fuel fees will be variable. However, the depreciation, insurance and licensing may be fixed. Looking simplest at the automobile's maintenance costs may imply that some protection is finished every November (irrespective of the quantity of miles driven) at the same time as other upkeep is finished every 6,000 miles.

A producer's strength cost is another instance of a semivariable price. Part of the month-to-month energy bill will consist of 1) a hard and fast quantity, and 2) a separate amount primarily based at the variety of kilowatt hours of energy truely utilized by the organisation.

The producer's power price is also a semivariable fee in dating with the business enterprise's system hours. The part of the strength value used to operate the production system is variable, but the part of the strength price used for lighting and aircon the producing facility is a fixed value.

These simple examples illustrate that it may be hard to recognize how charges behave. There are many factors, sports, and drivers that have an effect on the extent of expenses.

Question 32. What Does Stepped Cost Mean?

Answer :

Stepped price refers to the behavior of the total fee of an hobby at diverse stages of the activity. When a stepped cost is plotted on a graph (with the total value represented through the y-axis and the quantity of the activity represented by the x-axis) the strains will appear as steps or stairs growing from left to proper.

To illustrate a stepped price, permit's expect which you are developing a website and locate that the monthly fee of hosting the site is based on the wide variety of visits. For 0 to 999 visits in step with month, the value is $20 according to month. When the visits are inside the range of 1,000 to 2,999 the month-to-month fee jumps to $50. If the visits are 3,000 to 9,999 the cost will be $2 hundred consistent with month. For monthly visits of 10,000 to 24,999 the fee is $three hundred, and so on. As the statistics indicates, the full month-to-month fee is steady or constant only for a given range of interest (range of visits). When the number of visits exceeds the higher limit of a range, the monthly value jumps to a higher level and remains constant till the visits exceed the brand new top limit.

A stepped cost is likewise known as a step cost, a step-variable fee, or a step-fixed cost. The distinction between a step-variable price and a step-fixed price has to do with the width of the range of activity. If the full fee increases with small will increase in pastime, it is able to be known as a step-variable price. If the full price will alternate most effective with massive will increase in the quantity of interest, the term step-fixed value is much more likely for use.

Knowing how costs behave is vital for selection making. For instance, a producer will want to know how its fees will boom if a new product line is introduced (or how costs may want to decrease if an current product line is removed).

Question 33. What Is The Coefficient Of Correlation?

Answer :

In easy linear regression analysis, the coefficient of correlation (or correlation coefficient) is a statistic which indicates the relationship among the impartial variable and the based variable. The coefficient of correlation is represented by way of r and it has a number of -1.00 to +1.00.

When the coefficient of correlation is a positive amount, together with +0.80, it approach an growth in the independent variable will result in an growth inside the established variable. (Also, a decrease in the unbiased variable will suggest a lower within the dependent variable.) When the coefficient of correlation is poor, such as -0.Eighty, there's an inverse dating. (An growth inside the unbiased variable will imply a decrease inside the established variable. A lower in the unbiased variable will imply an increase inside the dependent variable.)

A coefficient of correlation of +zero.Eight or -zero.8 indicates a sturdy correlation among the impartial variable and the structured variable. An r of +zero.20 or -0.20 suggests a vulnerable correlation between the variables. When the coefficient of correlation is zero.00 there may be no correlation.

When the coefficient of correlation is squared, it turns into the coefficient of willpower. This manner that an r of +0.80 or -0.80 will bring about a coefficient of willpower of zero.Sixty four or sixty four%. (This tells you that 64% of the alternate in the overall of the based variable is associated with the exchange within the impartial variable.) An r of +0.20 or -zero.20 suggests that most effective 4% (zero.20 x zero.20) of the trade inside the dependent variable is explained by means of the exchange in the independent variable.

It is essential to recognize that correlation does now not guarantee that a motive-and-effect relationship exists among the independent variable and the dependent variable. However, a purpose-and-impact courting will suggest there is correlation. It is likewise critical to plan the records/observations used inside the regression evaluation so that it will locate and review any outlier.

Marginal cost Interview Questions
Question 34. What Is Simple Linear Regression Analysis?

Answer :

Simple linear regression analysis is a statistical device for quantifying the connection among just one independent variable (for this reason "simple") and one established variable based on beyond experience (observations). For instance, easy linear regression evaluation may be used to specific how a employer's electricity price (the established variable) adjustments because the organization's production gadget hours (the independent variable) trade.

Fortunately there's software to compute the fine becoming straight line (for this reason "linear") that expresses the beyond courting between the based and impartial variable. Continuing our example, you'll input 1) the amount of the past month-to-month electricity payments, and 2) the quantity of device hours going on all through the length of every of the payments. Next, the software will in all likelihood use the least squares technique to supply the method for the first-class fitting line. The line will seem in the shape y = a + bx. In addition, the software will offer information regarding the correlation, self assurance, dispersion round the line, and extra.

(In all probability there are numerous unbiased variables causing a exchange in the quantity of the established variable. Therefore, you should now not assume that handiest one unbiased variable will explain a high percentage of the alternate in the based variable. To boom the proportion, you should consider the numerous impartial variables that might purpose a alternate within the established variable. Next you need to check the impact of the aggregate of those independent variables or drivers with the aid of the usage of a couple of regression analysis software.)

Prior to using simple linear regression evaluation it is essential to follow these preliminary steps:

are searching for an unbiased variable this is probable to cause or drive the change inside the based variable
ensure that the past quantities for the impartial variable occur inside the actual same period as the quantity of the dependent variable
plot the past observations on a graph using the y-axis for the value (monthly strength bill) and the x-axis for the activity (machine hours used for the duration of the precise duration of the strength invoice)
assessment the plotted observations for a linear sample and for any outliers
remember that there may be correlation without purpose and effect
Question 35. Are Insurance Premiums A Fixed Cost?

Answer :

The fee of the coverage charges for a organization's property coverage is probably to be a hard and fast value. The price of worker reimbursement insurance is possibly to be a variable price. Whether a cost is a hard and fast price, a variable price, or a mixed fee depends at the unbiased variable.

Let's illustrate this via looking at the price of assets coverage. The fee of insuring the manufacturing unit building is a hard and fast price whilst the unbiased variable is the wide variety of units produced inside the factory. In different phrases, the manufacturing facility's property coverage is probably $6,000 according to year whether or not its output is 2 million units, 3 million gadgets, or 5 million devices. On the alternative hand, if the unbiased variable is the alternative cost of the manufacturing unit homes, the insurance value will be a variable price. The purpose is the insurance fee on $12 million of factory buildings will be greater than the insurance fee on $nine million of manufacturing unit homes, and much less than the insurance rates on $18 million of factory homes.

In the case of worker compensation coverage, the value will range with the quantity of payroll dollars (aside from additional time top class) in every magnificence of workers. For example, if the worker comp rates are $5 in step with $100 of manufacturing unit exertions price, then the employee comp charges will be variable with respect to the dollars of manufacturing unit exertions cost. If the units of output inside the factory correlate with the direct hard work expenses, then the employee reimbursement cost can also be variable with recognize to the range of devices produced. On the opposite hand, the worker reimbursement fee for the office team of workers is usually a miles smaller rate and that worker compensation price will now not be variable with recognize to the variety of units of output within the manufacturing facility. However, the worker repayment fee of the workplace staff may be variable with respect to the quantity of office group of workers salaries and wages.

As you have visible, figuring out which prices are fixed and which are variable can be a chunk tricky.

Question 36. What Increases A Break-even Point?

Answer :

The break-even factor will boom while the quantity of constant prices and expenses increases. The ruin-even point may also growth whilst the variable fees growth without a corresponding boom within the selling costs.

A agency with many products can see its break-even point boom whilst the mix of products modifications. In other phrases, if a greater share of decrease contribution margin merchandise are sold, the smash-even point will boom. (Contribution margin is selling price minus variable costs.)

Cost of products offered Interview Questions
Question 37. What Happens When The High-low Method Ends Up With A Negative Amount?

Answer :

The excessive-low approach of determining the fixed and variable portions of a mixed cost relies on most effective two units of statistics: 1) the costs at the highest stage of hobby, and a couple of) the costs at the lowest degree of activity. If either set of facts is defective, the calculation can result in an unreasonable, bad quantity of constant price.

To illustrate the hassle, allow's anticipate that the entire price is $1,two hundred whilst there are one hundred units of product synthetic, and $6,000 when there are four hundred units of product are manufactured. The high-low method computes the variable value charge by way of dividing the alternate in the total costs by the trade inside the wide variety of devices of synthetic. In different phrases, the $four,800 exchange in overall fees is divided by using the alternate in units of three hundred to yield the variable value fee of $16 consistent with unit of product. Since the constant prices are the full prices minus the variable prices, the constant fees can be calculated to a negative $400. This unacceptable answer effects from total prices of $1,two hundred at the low point minus the variable expenses of $1,600 (a hundred gadgets instances $sixteen), or general expenses of $6,000 on the high point minus the variable costs of $6,400 (four hundred units times $16).

The terrible amount of constant costs isn't practical and leads me to consider that either the entire prices at either the high factor or on the low point aren't representative. This brings to mild the importance of plotting or graphing all the factors of activity and their related fees before the usage of the high-low method. (The range of devices uses the size on the x-axis and the related general cost at each degree of interest uses the dimensions on the y-axis.) It is possible that at the best factor of activity the prices were out of line from the everyday courting—referred to as an outlier. You may also determine to apply the second maximum stage of activity, if the associated prices are extra consultant.

If the $6,000 of price at the 400 gadgets of pastime is an outlier, you would possibly choose the subsequent maximum activity of 380 gadgets having general costs of $four,000. Now the variable charge will be the change in general expenses of $2,800 ($four,000 minus $1,two hundred) divided through the alternate in the devices manufactured of 280 (380 minus 100) for a variable price of $10 per unit of product. Using the variable price of $10 according to unit manufactured will result in the constant charges being a advantageous $200. The fine $2 hundred of fixed prices is calculated at both 1) the low hobby: general charges of $1,200 minus the variable expenses of $1,000 (100 gadgets at $10); or at 2) the excessive activity: general charges of $four,000 minus the variable fees of $three,800 (380 devices at $10).

Question 38. Why Would The Cost Behavior Change Outside Of The Relevant Range Of Activity?

Answer :

Cost conduct regularly modifications outdoor of the applicable range of pastime because of a trade in the constant charges. When quantity increases to a certain factor, greater fixed prices will should be brought. When volume shrinks drastically, a few fixed expenses could be eliminated.

Here's an instance. A corporation manufactures products in its a hundred,000 rectangular foot plant. The employer's depreciation on the plant is $1,000,000 in keeping with 12 months. The capability of the plant is 500,000 devices of output and its everyday output is four hundred,000 gadgets consistent with yr. When the business enterprise is manufacturing between three hundred,000 and 500,000 devices, it needs salaried managers earning $four hundred,000 in line with 12 months. Below 300,000 gadgets of output, a number of the salaried manager positions might be eliminated. Above 500,000 units, the corporation will need to add plant space and managers.

For this situation, the applicable range is between 300,000 gadgets and 500,000 units of output consistent with year. In that range the whole of the two fixed prices is $1,400,000 in keeping with year. Below three hundred,000 gadgets, the constant prices will drop to much less than $1,400,000 due to the fact a few salaries will be removed and some of the space might be rented. When the quantity exceeds 500,000 devices in step with 12 months, the employer will want to feature fixed prices due to the extra space and the extra managers. Perhaps the total fixed charges could be $2,000,000 for output between 500,000 gadgets and seven hundred,000 devices.

Question 39. How Do You Determine The Fixed Portion Of Overhead Cost?

Answer :

I advise that the first step in determining the constant part of a blended value (a value that is in part constant and in part variable) is to graph the records. Label the vertical or y-axis of the graph as Total Manufacturing Overhead (or Total Electricity Cost if you are studying the character additives of overhead). Label the horizontal or x-axis