Budgeted		Actual
Sales (8,000 ingots)	$	240,000	$	240,000
Variable expenses:
Variable cost of goods sold*		94,000		112,470
Variable selling expenses		10,000		10,000
Total variable expenses		104,000		122,470
Contribution margin		136,000		117,530
Fixed expenses:
Manufacturing overhead		55,000		55,000
Selling and administrative		70,000		70,000
Total fixed expenses		125,000		125,000
Net operating income (loss)	$	11,000	$	(7,470)

*Contains direct materials, direct labor, and variable manufacturing overhead.

Mr. Santiago was shocked to see the loss for the month, particularly because sales were exactly as budgeted. He stated, "I sure hope the plant has a standard cost system in operation. If it doesn't, I won't have the slightest idea of where to start looking for the problem."

The plant does use a standard cost system, with the following standard variable cost per ingot:

	Standard Quantity or Hours	Standard Price or Rate		Standard Cost
Direct materials	3.5 pounds	$	2.50 per pound	$	8.75
Direct labor	0.4 hours	$	6.50 per hour		2.60
Variable manufacturing overhead	0.2 hours*	$	2.00 per hour		0.40
Total standard variable cost				$	11.75

*Based on machine-hours.

During October the plant produced 8,000 ingots and incurred the following costs:

a.	Purchased 33,000 pounds of materials at a cost of $2.95 per pound. There were no raw materials in inventory at the beginning of the month.
b.	Used 27,800 pounds of materials in production. (Finished goods and work in process inventories are insignificant and can be ignored.)
c.	Worked 3,800 direct labor-hours at a cost of $6.20 per hour.
d.	Incurred a total variable manufacturing overhead cost of $4,560 for the month. A total of 1,900 machine-hours was recorded.

It is the company