Question
The Hard Rock Mining Company is developing cost formulas for management planning and decision-making purposes. The companys cost analyst has concluded that utilities cost is
The Hard Rock Mining Company is developing cost formulas for management planning and decision-making purposes. The companys cost analyst has concluded that utilities cost is a mixed cost, and he is attempting to find a base that correlates with the cost. The controller has suggested that tons mined might be a good base to use in developing a cost formula. The production superintendent disagrees; she thinks that direct labor-hours would be a better base. The cost analyst has decided to try both bases and has assembled the following information:
Quarter | Tons Mined | Direct Labor-Hours | Utilities Cost |
---|---|---|---|
Year 1: | |||
First | 28,000 | 6,300 | $ 63,000 |
Second | 18,000 | 4,300 | $ 58,000 |
Third | 33,000 | 5,300 | $ 73,000 |
Fourth | 25,000 | 7,300 | $ 88,000 |
Year 2: | |||
First | 31,000 | 12,600 | $ 133,000 |
Second | 38,000 | 12,900 | $ 138,000 |
Third | 43,000 | 10,600 | $ 98,000 |
Fourth | 41,000 | 13,600 | $ 138,000 |
2-a. Using direct labor-hours as the independent variable, prepare a scattergraph that plots direct labor-hours on the horizontal axis and utilities cost on the vertical axis.
2-b. Using the least-squares regression method, estimate the variable utilities cost per direct labor-hour and the total fixed utilities cost per quarter. Express these estimates in the form Y = a + bX. (Round the Variable cost to 2 decimal places and Fixed Cost to the nearest whole dollar amount.)
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