The Management of Atlas Corporation Would Like to Investigate the Possibility

question 31

Essay

The management of Atlas Corporation would like to investigate the possibility of basing its predetermined overhead rate on activity at capacity rather than on the estimated amount of activity for the year. The company's controller has provided an example to illustrate how this new system would work. In this example, the allocation base is machine-hours and the estimated amount of the allocation base for the upcoming year is 19,000 machine-hours. In addition, capacity is 21,000 machine-hours and the actual activity for the year is 18,200 machine-hours. All of the manufacturing overhead is fixed and is $71,820 per year. For simplicity, it is assumed that this is the estimated manufacturing overhead for the year as well as the manufacturing overhead at capacity and the actual amount of manufacturing overhead for the year.
Required:
a. Determine the predetermined overhead rate if the predetermined overhead rate is based on the estimated amount of the allocation base.
b. Determine the underapplied or overapplied overhead for the year if the predetermined overhead rate is based on the estimated amount of the allocation base.
c. Determine the predetermined overhead rate if the predetermined overhead rate is based on the amount of the allocation base at capacity.
d. Determine the underapplied or overapplied overhead for the year if the predetermined overhead rate is based on the amount of the allocation base at capacity.

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Definitions:

Scientific Support

Refers to the evidence or backing for a theory, idea, or practice that is derived from scientific methods and research.

Instincts

Innate, typically fixed patterns of behavior in animals and humans in response to certain stimuli.

Hunger and Thirst

Basic physiological needs driving the desire to eat and drink, respectively.

Freudian Psychoanalysis

A therapeutic approach developed by Sigmund Freud that seeks to explore the unconscious mind's role in shaping behavior and personality through techniques like free association and dream analysis.