Question

Before preparing Part A, answer in complete sentences these 2 questions:

1. Looking at the direct materials equations for Standard Costs and Actual Costs, is the materials

price variance favorable or unfavorable? Why?

2. Looking at the direct materials equations for Standard Costs and Actual Costs, is the materials

Problem A

Direct materials, direct labor, and factory overhead cost variance analysis

Obj. 3, 4Mackinaw Inc. processes a base chemical into plastic. Standard costs and actual costs for direct materials, direct labor, and factory overhead incurred for the manufacture of 40,000 units of product were as follows:

	Standard Costs	Actual Costs
Direct materials	120,000 lbs. at $3.20 per lb.	118,500 lbs. at $3.25 per lb.
Direct labor	12,000 hrs. at $24.40 per hr.	11,700 hrs. at $25.00 per hr.
Factory overhead	Rates per direct labor hr., based on 100% of normal capacity of 15,000 direct labor hrs.:
	Variable cost, $8.00	$91,200 variable cost
	Fixed cost, $10.00	$150,000 fixed cost

Each unit requires 0.3 hour of direct labor.

Instructions

1. Determine (A) the direct materials price variance, direct materials quantity variance, and total direct materials cost variance; (B) the direct labor rate variance, direct labor time variance, and total direct labor cost variance; and (C) the variable factory overhead controllable variance, fixed factory overhead volume variance, and total factory overhead cost variance.

Answer 1

1. Looking at the direct materials equations for Standard Costs and Actual Costs, is the materials price variance favorable or unfavorable? Why?

Direct Material Price Variance is Unfavorable. Because SR ($3.25) is greater than SR ($3.20)

2. Looking at the direct materials equations for Standard Costs and Actual Costs, is the materials Quantity Variance favorable or unfavorable? Why?

Direct Material Quantity Variance is Favorable. Because Actual Quantity of lbs are less than Standard Quantity of lbs

(A) Direct Material Price Variance :-

(SR – AR) * AQ
($3.20 - $3.25) * 118500 lbs = $5925 U

Direct Material Quantity Variance :-

(SQ – AQ) * SR

   (120000 – 118500) * $3.20 = $4800 F

Total Direct Material Cost Variance :-

Standard cost – Actual cost

(120000 * $3.20) – (118500 * $3.25) = $1125 U

(B) Direct Labor Rate Variance :-

(SR – AR) * A Hrs

($24.40 - $25) * 11700 = $7020 U

Direct Labor Time Variance :-

(S Hrs – A Hrs) * SR

(12000 – 11700) * $24.40 = $7320 F

Total Direct Labor Cost Variance :-

Standard cost – Actual cost

(12000 * $24.40) – (11700 * $25) = $300 F

(C) Variable factory overhead controllable variance:-

Actual variable expense = $91200

Standard variable expense = SR * A Hrs

           = 11700 * $8 = $93600

Standard – Actual

= $93600 - $91200 = $2400 F

Fixed factory overhead volume variance:-

Fixed volume variance= (Standard Hours - Normal capacity hours) * SR

Normal capacity hours= 15000 hours

Standard hours charged to actual production = 12000 hours

(12000 - 15000) * 10= $30000(U)

Total factory overhead cost variance:-

Variable controllable variance + Fixed volume variance.

$2400 F + $30000 U = $27600 U