Nova Corporation produces a single product and uses a standard cost system to help
control costs. Overhead is applied to production on the basis of standard machine-hours.
According to the company’s flexible budget, the following overhead costs should be
incurred at an activity level of 18,000 machine-hours (the denominator activity level
chosen for the current year):
At the end of the year, the company’s Manufacturing Overhead account showed total
debits for actual overhead costs of $145,100 and total credits of $136,000 for overhead
applied. The difference ($9,100) represents under-applied overhead, the cause of which
management would like to know.
Required:
a. Compute the predetermined overhead rate that would have been used during the year,
showing separately the variable and fixed components of the rate.
b. Show how the $136,000 of overhead actually applied was computed.
c. Analyze the $9,100 under-applied overhead figure in terms of the variable overhead rate