Determining Unit Costs, Variance Analysis, and Interpretation Big Dog Company, a manufacturer of dog food, produces its product in 1,000-bag batches. The standard cost of each batch consists of 11,000 pounds of direct materials at $0.40 per pound, 50 direct labor hours at $8.50 per hour, and variable overhead cost (based on machine hours) at the rate of $10 per hour with 16 machine hours per batch. The following variable costs were incurred for the last 1,000-bag batch produced:

Direct materials	11,300 pounds costing $4,378 were purchased and used
Direct labor	45 hours costing $450
Variable overhead	$225
Machine hours used	18 hours

(a) Determine the actual and standard variable costs per bag of dog food produced, separated into direct materials, direct labor, and variable overhead.

Round your answers to three decimal places.

	Actual Cost	Standard Cost
Direct materials	Answer	Answer
Direct labor	Answer	Answer
Variable overhead	Answer	Answer
Total variable costs per bag	Answer	Answer

(b) For the last 1,000-bag batch, determine the standard cost variances for direct materials, direct labor, and variable overhead.

Rounds your answers two decimal places.

Materials price variance	Answer	AnswerFU
Materials quantity variance	Answer	AnswerFU
Labor rate variance	Answer	AnswerFU
Labor efficiency variance	Answer	AnswerFU
Variable overhead spending variance	Answer	AnswerFU
Variable overhead efficiency variance	Answer	AnswerFU

(c) Which of the following is the most likely explanation for an unfavorable labor rate variance and a favorable labor efficiency variance?

Use of poor quality materials resulting in overtime labor.

Use of low efficiency equipment by highly skilled employees.

Use of higher skilled employees and high efficiency equipment.

Use of high efficiency equipment by undertrained employees.

Save AnswersNext