• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Free ACCA & CIMA online courses from OpenTuition

Free ACCA & CIMA online courses from OpenTuition

Free Notes, Lectures, Tests and Forums for ACCA and CIMA exams

  • ACCA
  • CIMA
  • FIA
  • OBU
  • Books
  • Forums
  • Ask AI
  • Search
  • Register
  • Login
  • ACCA Forums
  • Ask ACCA Tutor
  • CIMA Forums
  • Ask CIMA Tutor
  • FIA
  • OBU
  • Buy/Sell Books
  • All Forums
  • Latest Topics

June 2025 ACCA Exams

How was your exam? Comments & Instant poll >>

20% off ACCA & CIMA Books

OpenTuition recommends the new interactive BPP books for September 2025 exams.
Get your discount code >>

high -low

Forums › Ask ACCA Tutor Forums › Ask the Tutor ACCA MA – FIA FMA › high -low

  • This topic has 25 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 11 years ago by John Moffat.
Viewing 25 posts - 1 through 25 (of 26 total)
1 2 →
  • Author
    Posts
  • May 22, 2014 at 8:16 pm #170216
    maan87
    Member
    • Topics: 119
    • Replies: 155
    • ☆☆☆

    Hi john sir, give me guideline on the following question. plz also provide explanation to handle such a question

    Output(units) 5000 10,000
    Total cost 14000 27000

    The variable element of total overhead cost is known to increase by $1 per unit at output levels above 7000 units.

    What is the variable element of total overhead cost at an activity level of 5000 units?

    a. 2.00
    b. 2.60
    c. 3.20
    d.3.60

    May 23, 2014 at 8:32 am #170255
    John Moffat
    Keymaster
    • Topics: 57
    • Replies: 54682
    • ☆☆☆☆☆

    I don’t know where you found this example, but either you have typed it wrong, or the question/answer is printed wrong.

    The amount at output of 10,000 includes an extra $1 per unit.
    If there was not the extra $1, then the total cost would be $10,000 lower at $17,000

    If you now do the normal high low, the variable cost per unit (ignoring the extra $1) is (17000 – 14000) / (10000 – 5000) = $0.60.

    (And although it is not asked for, the fixed cost is $11,000)

    That is not one of the four choices, but it is the correct answer based on the figures that you have typed. (In fact the way the question is worded, the variable element of total overhead cost for 5,000 units is 5,000 x $0.60 = $3,000 !!!!)

    May 23, 2014 at 8:32 pm #170369
    maan87
    Member
    • Topics: 119
    • Replies: 155
    • ☆☆☆

    Thanx john sir i got it. The question is typed correctly. I was also doing in the same way but i was confused when i did’t find the answer. its mean if question says find the variable cost per unit for an activity level above 7000, that will be 1.6? Thanx john sir.

    May 23, 2014 at 9:07 pm #170378
    John Moffat
    Keymaster
    • Topics: 57
    • Replies: 54682
    • ☆☆☆☆☆

    Yes – above 7,000 it will be $1.60 per unit.

    May 23, 2014 at 9:46 pm #170386
    maan87
    Member
    • Topics: 119
    • Replies: 155
    • ☆☆☆

    Thanx alot john sir.

    May 23, 2014 at 9:54 pm #170389
    John Moffat
    Keymaster
    • Topics: 57
    • Replies: 54682
    • ☆☆☆☆☆

    You are welcome 🙂

    May 24, 2014 at 7:56 am #170438
    Miss NM
    Member
    • Topics: 12
    • Replies: 23
    • ☆

    Hi Sir,
    could you please help me with this question:

    Activity level(units): 8000 12000 15000
    total cost: 204000 250000 274000

    Variable cost is constant and there is a step up of 10% in the total fixed costs when the activity level exceeds 11000 units.

    What is the tota cost at an activity level of 10000 units.

    A. 220000
    B. 224000
    C. 227000
    D. 234000

    May 24, 2014 at 8:28 am #170445
    John Moffat
    Keymaster
    • Topics: 57
    • Replies: 54682
    • ☆☆☆☆☆

    At activity levels of 12,000 and 15,000 the fixed costs will be the same (because they both exceed 11,000 units).
    So use high-low on these two to get the variable cost per unit:
    (274000-250000)/(15000-12000) = $8 per unit.

    10,000 is below the level where fixed costs change, and so is 8,000. So since the variable cost will remain at $8 per unit, the only reason 10,000 will cost more in total than 8,000 is because of the extra variable cost of the extra 2,000 units.

    So the total cost for 10,000 is equal to the total cost at 8,000 plus the extra variable cost of (2000 x $8).
    So the total is 204,000 + 15,000 = 220,000

    May 24, 2014 at 10:26 am #170481
    Miss NM
    Member
    • Topics: 12
    • Replies: 23
    • ☆

    thank you so much Sir. I’ve finally understood it now 🙂

    May 24, 2014 at 10:41 am #170484
    John Moffat
    Keymaster
    • Topics: 57
    • Replies: 54682
    • ☆☆☆☆☆

    You are welcome 🙂

    June 7, 2014 at 10:23 am #174952
    Karan
    Member
    • Topics: 0
    • Replies: 4
    • ☆

    Hi… I am totally confused on high low please help me out… All I know is that u take highest cost – lowest cost then divide by highest units – lowest units… I can calculate that… But when there is a step up… I always get them wrong…. How do I get variable cost, fixed cost n total cost ? Please help

    June 7, 2014 at 10:41 am #174956
    John Moffat
    Keymaster
    • Topics: 57
    • Replies: 54682
    • ☆☆☆☆☆

    My answers to the two questions above should sort you out.

    One is where there is a step up in fixed costs, and the other is where there is a step up in variable cost.

    June 8, 2014 at 9:41 am #175151
    Karan
    Member
    • Topics: 0
    • Replies: 4
    • ☆

    Thanks

    June 8, 2014 at 10:05 am #175152
    John Moffat
    Keymaster
    • Topics: 57
    • Replies: 54682
    • ☆☆☆☆☆

    You are welcome 🙂

    June 9, 2014 at 6:34 pm #175507
    Grace
    Member
    • Topics: 8
    • Replies: 15
    • ☆

    Dear Sir,
    Above 7000 units, v.c shouldn’t be: $1*outputs+$0.6 ??

    June 9, 2014 at 6:41 pm #175511
    John Moffat
    Keymaster
    • Topics: 57
    • Replies: 54682
    • ☆☆☆☆☆

    No, not at all.

    The variable cost per unit will be $1.60 and so the total variable cost will be $1.60 x output.

    June 9, 2014 at 6:42 pm #175512
    Grace
    Member
    • Topics: 8
    • Replies: 15
    • ☆

    Dear John sir,
    Another question about high-low:
    this year, output 5000u, cost 3100, price index 164
    3y ago, output 2000u,cost 8800, price index 132

    calculate the variable cost per u expressed in current year price

    I can not find the relation within variable cost and price index .

    June 9, 2014 at 6:44 pm #175515
    Grace
    Member
    • Topics: 8
    • Replies: 15
    • ☆

    ah ok I know where i am wrong . Thank you sir !

    June 9, 2014 at 6:45 pm #175516
    John Moffat
    Keymaster
    • Topics: 57
    • Replies: 54682
    • ☆☆☆☆☆

    In current year prices, the information 3 years ago will be:

    output 2000 units; cost 8800 x 164/132 = $10933

    Now you can just use the normal high/low technique.

    June 9, 2014 at 6:46 pm #175518
    John Moffat
    Keymaster
    • Topics: 57
    • Replies: 54682
    • ☆☆☆☆☆

    You are welcome 🙂

    June 10, 2014 at 12:54 pm #175661
    yaaseen
    Member
    • Topics: 16
    • Replies: 25
    • ☆

    sir 🙂

    can you please continue the answer for the last one ^^

    i don’t know how to continue with it 🙁

    June 10, 2014 at 2:28 pm #175680
    John Moffat
    Keymaster
    • Topics: 57
    • Replies: 54682
    • ☆☆☆☆☆

    Actually, although I explained how to deal with the index numbers, Grace must have typed the question wrongly because the cost of 5,000 units is less than the cost for 2,000 units – this is not possible 🙂

    June 10, 2014 at 2:49 pm #175713
    Grace
    Member
    • Topics: 8
    • Replies: 15
    • ☆

    sorry, yes I typed it wrongly , this year the cost is 31000, not 3100……:)

    June 10, 2014 at 3:09 pm #175720
    John Moffat
    Keymaster
    • Topics: 57
    • Replies: 54682
    • ☆☆☆☆☆

    So…….at 2,000 units the cost is 10,933 (as I explained before), and at 5,000 units the cost is 31,000

    So the variable cost per unit is (31000 – 10933) / (5000 – 2000)

    June 10, 2014 at 5:23 pm #175755
    yaaseen
    Member
    • Topics: 16
    • Replies: 25
    • ☆

    ok 🙂

    thank you sir 😀

  • Author
    Posts
Viewing 25 posts - 1 through 25 (of 26 total)
1 2 →
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Log In

Primary Sidebar

Donate
If you have benefited from our materials, please donate

ACCA News:

ACCA My Exam Performance for non-variant

Applied Skills exams is available NOW

ACCA Options:  “Read the Mind of the Marker” articles

Subscribe to ACCA’s Student Accountant Direct

ACCA CBE 2025 Exams

How was your exam, and what was the exam result?

BT CBE exam was.. | MA CBE exam was..
FA CBE exam was.. | LW CBE exam was..

Donate

If you have benefited from OpenTuition please donate.

PQ Magazine

Latest Comments

  • maryrena77 on The nature and structure of organisations – ACCA Paper BT
  • vi234 on MA Chapter 4 Questions Cost Classification and Behaviour
  • vi234 on MA Chapter 4 Questions Cost Classification and Behaviour
  • John Moffat on The financial management environment – ACCA Financial Management (FM)
  • Lekhanaa on IASB Conceptual Framework – Introduction – ACCA Financial Reporting (FR)

Copyright © 2025 · Support · Contact · Advertising · OpenLicense · About · Sitemap · Comments · Log in