Beta Manufacturing Company recently acquired a specialized piece of equipment for its assembly line operations. The equipment, purchased for $300,000 on January 1, 20X1, is expected to have a useful life of 5 years and a salvage value of $50,000. Beta Manufacturing Company intends to use the units of production method for depreciation.

Throughout the first year of operation, the equipment produced 50,000 units. Given this information, compute the following:

• Depreciation expense for the equipment for the first year.
• Book value of the equipment at the end of the first year.
• Analyze the impact of using the units of production method on Beta Manufacturing Company's income statement and balance sheet, considering the variable nature of production levels.

Provide a detailed explanation of how the units of production method allocates depreciation based on actual usage and its relevance to Beta Manufacturing Company's manufacturing operations.