Using High-Low to Calculate Fixed Cost, Calculate the Variable Rate, and Construct a Cost Function

Pizza Vesuvio makes specialty pizzas. Data for the past 8 months were collected:

Month		Labor Cost($)			Employee Hours
	January		9,690			360
	February		7,200			420
	March		7,731			450
	April		8,340			340
	May		9,987			390
	June		8,690			310
	July		11,264			500
	August		7,700			280

Pizza Vesuvio's controller wants to calculate the fixed and variable costs associated with labor used in the restaurant.

In your calculations, round the variable rate per employee hour to the nearest cent. If required, round your final answers to the nearest cent.

Required:

1. Using the high-low method, calculate the variable rate. $fill in the blank per employee hour

2. Using the high-low method, calculate the fixed cost of labor. $fill in the blank

3. Using the high-low method, construct the cost formula for total labor cost.

Total labor cost = $fill in the blank + ($fill in the blank Employee hours)