Whitman Company has just completed its first year of operations. The companys absorption costing income statement for the year appears below:

Whitman Company Income Statement

Sales (41,000 units $41.60 per unit) $ 1,705,600

Cost of goods sold (41,000 units $24 per unit) 984,000

Gross margin 721,600 Selling and administrative expenses 471,500

Net operating income $ 250,100

The companys selling and administrative expenses consist of $307,500 per year in fixed expenses and $4 per unit sold in variable expenses. The $24 per unit product cost given above is computed as follows:

Direct materials $ 12

Direct labor 5

Variable manufacturing overhead 3

Fixed manufacturing overhead ($220,000 55,000 units) 4

Absorption costing unit product cost $ 24 Required:

1. Prepare the companys income statement in the contribution format using variable costing.

2. Reconcile any difference between the net operating income on your variable costing income statement and the net operating income on the absorption costing income statement.