Required:

1. Allocate the service department costs to the producing departments using the direct allocation method.
2. Using the reciprocal method, provide simultaneous equations including the mutual services provided among all services departments for the factory maintenance, factory administration and building and grounds departments (the simultaneous equations do not have to be resolved).

3. Using the step-down method, allocate the service department costs to the producing departments, the ranking order is determined on the basis of the highest to lowest costs of services provided to other departments. Determine the factory overhead application rates for the producing departments. The bases used are machine hours, with 400,000 estimated for Machining and 300,000 estimated for assembly.

Please explain and show all your work clearly. Label steps and final solutions should be clearly identified in bold. Thank you & I'll make sure to rate! :)

The GMAC Corporation has three service departments (Factory Administration, Factory Maintenance, Buildings & Grounds) and two producing departments (Machining, Assembly). They are currently evaluating several methods of allocating the service departments budgeted costs to producing departments. Accordingly, the following information has been prepared for the month of June 2018. Factory Administration Factory Building & Machining Assembly Maintenance Grounds Budgeted costs $68,000 Square footage 1,000 $60,000 2,000 $53,000 4,000 $1,520,000 $1,760,000 70,000 30,000 Total Labour hours 28,000 24,000 39,000 480,000 320,000 The costs of the Factory Administration and building and grounds departments are allocated on the basis of total labour hours and square footage, respectively. However, the costs of the Factory Maintenance department are allocated on the basis of percentage of services rendered: 20% for Building and Grounds, 50% for Machining, and 30% for Assembly