Problem: The Balakrishnan Corporation began business on January 1, 2000 to produce and sell a single product. Reported operating income figures under both absorption and variable costing for the first 4 years of operation are as follows:
Absorption costing
2000: $80,000
2001: 70,000
2002: 50,000
2003: 40,000
Variable costing
2000: $60,000
2001: 60,000
2002: 50,000
2003: 70,000
Standard production costs per unit, sales price, application (absorption) rates, and expected volume levels were the same in each year. There were no flexible-budget variances for any type of cost. All non-manufacturing expenses were fixed, and there were no manufacturing variances in any year.
1. In what year(s) did "units produced" equal "units sold"?
2. In what year(s) did "units produced" exceed "units sold"?
3. What is the dollar amount of the December 31, 2003, finished goods inventory? (Give absorption-costing value).
4. What is the difference between "units produced" and "units sold" in 2003, if you know that the absorption-costing fixed-manufacturing overhead application rate is $3 per unit (Give answer in units).