Pass the WGU Courses and Certificates Accounting-for-Decision-Makers Questions and answers with ExamsMirror

The correct answer is D. $1,875,000 . Applied overhead is calculated by multiplying the predetermined overhead rate by the actual amount of the allocation base used during production. OpenStax explains that a predetermined overhead rate is established in advance and then applied to production using the actual activity level.

The formula is:

Applied overhead = Overhead rate × Actual production

Using the figures provided:

Applied overhead = $0.75 × 2,500,000 = $1,875,000

So the total amount of overhead applied is $1,875,000 . The “expected to be produced” amount helps establish or understand the rate, but once the rate is given, applied overhead is based on the actual production achieved , not the estimated quantity.

Option C, $1,462,500 , would result from multiplying the rate by the expected production of 1,950,000, which is not what the question asks. The question specifically asks for the applied overhead, which uses actual activity. Therefore, with 2,500,000 pairs produced at $0.75 per pair , the correct applied overhead is $1,875,000 , making Option D the correct answer.

The correct answer is A. Stockholders’ equity will increase by $900,000 . On January 1, the corporation received cash in exchange for issuing stock. That means the company’s assets increase because cash increases, and stockholders’ equity also increases because ownership shares were issued. OpenStax explains that when a company issues stock for cash or other assets, the asset account increases and the related equity accounts are credited.

Option B is incorrect because no borrowing occurred on January 1, so loan payable does not increase from that event. Option C is incorrect because “investments” is not the proper classification for the corporation’s own issuance of stock in this context. Option D is incorrect because retained earnings increase from profitable operations over time, not from owner contributions or stock issuances. This transaction is a classic example of the accounting equation staying balanced: Assets increase by $900,000 and Stockholders’ Equity increases by $900,000 . Therefore, the correct balance sheet effect, along with the rise in cash, is an equal increase in stockholders’ equity .

The correct answer is A. Cash . In the traditional ordering of current assets on a U.S. balance sheet, accounts are typically listed in order of liquidity , meaning how quickly they can be converted into cash or used. Cash is already the most liquid asset, so it normally appears first. After cash, companies usually list items such as marketable securities, accounts receivable, inventory, and prepaid expenses. OpenStax identifies cash among the standard examples of assets and discusses current assets such as accounts receivable, inventory, and prepaid items.

Option B, inventory , is incorrect because inventory is less liquid than cash and receivables. Option C, accounts receivable , is also incorrect because receivables are expected to become cash, but they are not cash itself. Option D, prepaid expenses , typically appear later because they do not convert into cash; instead, they provide future benefits through services or coverage already paid for. In U.S. practice, the standard presentation begins with the most liquid current asset, which is cash. Therefore, among the choices provided, Cash is the correct answer.

The correct answer is D. Publicly traded companies in the United States . Sarbanes-Oxley was enacted to strengthen corporate accountability, internal controls, and audit oversight for companies that access the public securities markets. Standard summaries of SOX explain that it applies to publicly traded companies doing business in the United States, along with the audit firms that audit those public companies.

Option B is incorrect because SOX does not generally apply in full to private, nonpublic companies in the same way it applies to public issuers. Option C is also incorrect for the same reason. Option A may describe a narrower scenario that can involve public-company reporting structures, but for an exam question asking broadly “Who does Sarbanes-Oxley apply to?”, the clearest and best answer is publicly traded companies in the United States . SOX is fundamentally a public-company law designed to protect investors by improving the reliability of corporate disclosures and the independence of external audits. Therefore, among the listed choices, Option D is the most accurate and standard answer.

The correct answer is B. Cash payments for administration expenses . Under U.S. GAAP, operating activities include cash effects of transactions that enter into the determination of net income, such as cash paid to employees, suppliers, and for other routine operating expenses. FASB’s statement on cash flows requires cash receipts and payments to be classified as operating, investing, or financing and defines operating activities as the residual category for the entity’s normal revenue-producing activities. OpenStax also describes operating activities as the day-to-day cash flows of the business.

Option A is incorrect because selling a business segment is generally an investing activity , not an operating one. Option C is incorrect because purchasing plant assets is also an investing cash outflow . Option D is incorrect because cash received from selling plant assets is an investing cash inflow . Administrative expenses are part of normal operations, so cash paid for them belongs in operating activities. Therefore, among the options provided, Cash payments for administration expenses is the only item properly classified as an operating activity under U.S. GAAP.

The correct answer is D. $152,500 . To find October cash payments , include the portions of purchases paid in October from three different months:

15% of August purchases

35% of September purchases

50% of October purchases

Now calculate each amount:

15% of August ($75,000) = $11,250

35% of September ($225,000) = $78,750

50% of October ($125,000) = $62,500

Now add them:

$11,250 + $78,750 + $62,500 = $152,500

This is the total forecasted cash payment for October under the company’s payment pattern. Budgeted cash disbursement questions often require tracking the timing of payments across multiple months, not just the current month’s purchases.

Option B includes only 50% of October purchases. Option C includes only 35% of September purchases. Option A includes only part of the earlier-month carryover. Since October cash payments must include all three applicable portions, the correct total is $152,500 , making Option D the right answer.

The correct answer is B. Machine setups . In activity-based costing , batch-level activities are performed each time a batch of goods is processed, regardless of how many units are in that batch. A classic example is the machine setup required before production of a batch can begin. ABC materials commonly identify setup costs as batch-level because the activity occurs per batch rather than per individual unit.

Option A, property taxes , and Option C, factory insurance , are usually considered facility-level or organization-sustaining overhead because they support the factory as a whole rather than a specific batch. Option D, product engineering wages , is more closely related to product-level activities , since engineering work often supports a particular product line rather than each batch run. Batch-level costs increase with the number of production batches, not necessarily with the number of units produced. Since machine setups are incurred each time a batch is started, they are the standard example of a batch-level overhead cost. Therefore, Option B is the correct answer.

The correct answer is B. Easy to reconcile between net income and cash flows . Under the indirect method , the operating section of the statement of cash flows begins with net income and then adjusts for noncash items, gains and losses, and changes in working capital to arrive at net cash provided by operating activities . This makes it especially useful for showing the relationship between accrual-based profit and actual operating cash flow. FASB guidance explains that the indirect method presents this reconciliation within the cash flow reporting process, and OpenStax likewise describes the indirect method as beginning with net income and reconciling it to cash flows.

Option A is incorrect because the direct method is often easier for beginners to read since it lists cash receipts and cash payments more directly. Option C is incorrect because the indirect method does not specifically prevent errors or reveal “indirect costs.” Option D is incorrect because the purpose of the method is not to compare direct and indirect costs. Its main practical advantage is the clear reconciliation from net income to operating cash flow , so Option B is correct.

The correct answer is A. Cash from operating activities . Cash generated from operating activities is the best indicator of whether a company can continue as a going concern because it reflects cash produced by the firm’s core day-to-day business operations . OpenStax explains that the operating section shows cash flows generated and used by normal business activities, while investing and financing sections relate to asset purchases/sales and raising or repaying capital. OpenStax also notes that operating cash flow helps indicate the feasibility of continuing and advancing company plans.

Option B is incorrect because financing cash flows can come from borrowing or issuing stock, which may temporarily provide cash without proving the business itself is healthy. Option C is incorrect because investing cash flows often relate to buying or selling long-term assets and do not directly show sustainable operating strength. Option D is not one of the formal statement of cash flows categories under U.S. GAAP. For evaluating long-term viability, analysts and auditors place the greatest weight on the firm’s ability to generate cash internally from operations. Therefore, Cash from operating activities is the best answer.

The correct answers are A and C . External auditors gather audit evidence by examining accounting records and supporting documents and by obtaining evidence directly from third parties . PCAOB standards describe confirmation as a procedure for obtaining audit evidence from a knowledgeable external source, and this is commonly used for items such as cash, receivables, and certain terms of transactions.

Examining records to support balances and transactions is another core audit procedure. Auditors inspect invoices, contracts, bank statements, reconciliations, journals, and other documentation to determine whether reported balances are supported and fairly stated. These procedures directly relate to the reliability of financial reporting. In contrast, customer satisfaction surveys, marketing analysis, and public-image polling may be useful for business strategy or branding, but they are not standard external audit procedures used to support financial statement assertions. Audit work focuses on relevant, reliable evidence tied to existence, completeness, valuation, rights and obligations, and presentation. Therefore, the two valid procedures are examining records and obtaining third-party confirmations , making A and C the correct answers.