Comparing Three Depreciation Methods

Dexter Industries purchased packaging equipment on January $8$ for $$259,400.$ The equipment was expected to have a useful life of four years, or $6,800$ operating hours, and a residual value of $$21,400.$ The equipment was used for $2,380$ hours during Year $1,1,428$ hours in Year $2,1,904$ hours in Year $3,$ and $1,088$ hours in Year $4.$

Required:

Determine the amount of depreciation expense for the four years ending December $31$ by $($a$)$ the straight$-$line method, $($b$)$ the units$-$of$-$activity method, and $($c$)$ the double$-$declining$-$balance method. Also determine the total depreciation expense for the four years by each method. Round the answer for each year to the nearest whole dollar.

$\backslash$table$[[$Depreciation Expense$],[$Year$,$Straight$-$Line Method,$\backslash$table$[[$Units$-$of$-$Activity$],[$Method$]],\backslash$table$[[$Double$-$Declining$-],[$Balance Method$]]],[\backslash$bar $($ Year $1),$$ fill in the blank $1,$$ fill in the blank $2,$$ fill in the blank $3],[$Year $2,$$ fill in the blank $4,$$ fill in the blank $5,$$ fill in the blank $\backslash$epsi lon$],[$Year $3,$$ fill in the blank $7,$$ fill in the blank $8,$$ fill in the blank sube$],[$Year $4,$$ fill in the blank $10,$$ fill in the blank $11,$$ fill in the blank $12],[$Total$,$$ fill in the blank $13,$$ fill in the blank $14,$$ fill in the blank $15]]$

What method yields the highest depreciation expense for Year $1?$

Straight$-$line methodUnits$-$of$-$activity methodDouble$-$declining$-$balance methodAll three depreciation methods

$3.$ What method yields the most depreciation over the four$-$year life of the equipment?