Thornton Corporation makes and sells state-of-the-art electronics products. One of its segments produces The Math Machine, an inexpensive calculator. The companys chief accountant recently prepared the following income statement showing annual revenues and expenses associated with the segments operating activities. The relevant range for the production and sale of the calculators is between 34,000 and 74,000 units per year.

Revenue (36,000 units $12)	$	432,000
Unit-level variable costs
Materials cost (36,000 $3)		(108,000	)
Labor cost (36,000 $2)		(72,000	)
Manufacturing overhead (36,000 $0.10)		(3,600	)
Shipping and handling (36,000 $0.25)		(9,000	)
Sales commissions (36,000 $2)		(72,000	)
Contribution margin		167,400
Fixed expenses
Advertising costs		(29,000	)
Salary of production supervisor		(68,000	)
Allocated company wide facility-level expenses		(81,000	)
Net loss	$	(10,600	)

Required (Need an answer where an "X" is)

a. A large discount store has approached the owner of Thornton about buying 7,000 calculators. It would replace The Math Machines label with its own logo to avoid affecting Thorntons existing customers. Because the offer was made directly to the owner, no sales commissions on the transaction would be involved, but the discount store is willing to pay only $5.50 per calculator. Calculate the contribution margin from the special order. Based on quantitative factors alone, should Thornton accept the special order?

Contribution margin (loss)	X
Should Thornton accept the special order?	Yes

B. Calculate the total cost for Thornton to make and buy the 36,000 calculators.

	Make	Buy
Total relevant cost	X	X

C. Because the calculator division is currently operating at a loss, should it be eliminated from the companys operations? Support your answer with appropriate computations. Specifically, by what amount would the segments elimination increase or decrease profitability?

Contribution to profit (loss)	X
Should it be eliminated from the companys operations?	No