FINANCIAL AND MANAGERIAL ACCOUNTING - Fifth Edition Solutions Manual
1. What is accounting?
Accounting is the information system that measures business activities, processes
the information into reports, and communicates the results to decision makers.
Accounting is the language of business.
2. Briefly describe the two major fields of accounting.
Financial accounting provides information for external decision makers, such as
outside investors, lenders, customers, and the federal government. Managerial
accounting focuses on information for internal decision makers, such as the
company’s managers and employees.
3. Describe the various types of individuals who use accounting information and how
they use that information to make important decisions.
Individuals use accounting information to help them manage their money, evaluate a
a new job, and better decide whether they can afford to make a new purchase.
Business owners use accounting information to set goals, measure progress toward
those goals, and make adjustments when needed. Investors use accounting
information to help them decide whether or not a company is a good investment and
once they have invested, they use a company’s financial statements to analyze how
their investment is performing. Creditors use accounting information to decide
whether to lend money to a business and to evaluate a company’s ability to make
the loan payments. Taxing authorities use accounting information to calculate the
amount of income tax that a company has to pay.
4. What are two certifications available for accountants? Briefly explain each
certification.
Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) are licensed professional accountants who
serve the general public. They work for public accounting firms, businesses,
government, or educational institutions. To be certified they must meet educational
and/or experience requirements and pass an exam. Certified Management
Accountants (CMAs) specialize in accounting and financial management
knowledge. They work for a single company.
Chapter 1: Accouting and the Business Environment Page 1 of 84
,FINANCIAL AND MANAGERIAL ACCOUNTING - Fifth Edition Solutions Manual
5. What is the role of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB)?
The FASB oversees the creation and governance of accounting standards. They
work with governmental regulatory agencies, congressionally created groups, and
private groups.
6. Explain the purpose of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP),
including the organization currently responsible for the creation and governance of
these standards.
The guidelines for accounting information are called GAAP. It is the main U.S.
accounting rule book and is currently created and governed by the FASB. Investors
and lenders must have information that is relevant and has faithful representation in
order to make decisions and the GAAP provides the framework for this financial
reporting.
7. Describe the similarities and differences among the four different types of business
entities discussed in the chapter.
A sole proprietorship has a single owner, terminates upon the owner’s death or
choice, the owner has personal liability for the business’s debts, and it is not a
separate tax entity. A partnership has two or more owners, terminates at partner’s
choice or death, the partners have personal liability, and it is not a separate tax
entity. A corporation is a separate legal entity, has one or more owners, has
indefinite life, the stockholders are not personally liable for the business’s debts,
and it is a separate tax entity. A limited-liability company has one or more members
and each is only liable for his or her own actions, has an indefinite life, and is not a
separate tax entity.
8. A business purchases an acre of land for $5,000. The current market value is $5,550
and the land was assessed for property tax purposes at $5,250. What value should the land
be recorded at, and which accounting principle supports your answer?
The land should be recorded at $5,000. The cost principle states that assets should
be recorded at their historical cost.
Chapter 1: Accouting and the Business Environment Page 2 of 84
,FINANCIAL AND MANAGERIAL ACCOUNTING - Fifth Edition Solutions Manual
9. What does the going concern assumption mean for a business?
The going concern assumption assumes that the entity will remain in business for
the foreseeable future and long enough to use existing resources for their intended
purpose.
10. Which concept states that accounting information should be complete, neutral, and
free from material error?
The faithful representation concept states that accounting information should be
complete, neutral, and free from material error.
11. Financial statements in the United States are reported in U.S. dollars. What
assumption supports this statement?
The monetary unit assumption states that items on the financial statements should
be measured in terms of a monetary unit.
12. Explain the role of the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) in relation
to International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).
The IASB is the organization that develops and creates IFRS which are a set of
global accounting standards that would be used around the world.
13. What is the accounting equation? Briefly explain each of the three parts.
Assets = Liabilities + Equity. Assets are economic resources that are expected to
benefit the business in the future. They are things of value that a business owns or
has control of. Liabilities are debts that are owed to creditors. They are one source
of claims against assets. Equity is the other source of claims against assets.
Equity is the stockholders’ claims against assets and is the amount of assets that is
left over after the company has paid its liabilities. It represents the net worth of the
corporation.
Chapter 1: Accouting and the Business Environment Page 3 of 84
, FINANCIAL AND MANAGERIAL ACCOUNTING - Fifth Edition Solutions Manual
14. How do retained earnings increase? What are the two ways that retained earnings
decreases?
Retained earnings increases with revenues. Retained earnings decreases with
expenses and dividends.
15. How is net income calculated? Define revenues and expenses.
Revenues – Expenses = Net Income. Revenues are earnings resulting from
delivering goods or services to customers. Expenses are the cost of selling goods
or service.
16. What are the steps used when analyzing a business transaction?
Step 1: Identify the accounts and the account type. Step 2: Decide if each account
increases or decreases. Step 3: Determine if the accounting equation is in balance.
17. List the four financial statements. Briefly describe each statement.
Income Statement – Shows the difference between an entity’s revenues and
expenses and reports the net income or net loss for a specific period.
Statement of Retained Earnings – Shows the changes in retained earnings for a
specific period including net income (loss) and dividends.
Balance Sheet – Shows the assets, liabilities, and stockholders’ equity of the
business as of a specific date.
Statement of Cash Flows – Shows a business’s cash receipts and cash payments
for a specific period.
18. What is the calculation for return on assets (ROA)? Explain what ROA measures.
Return on Assets = Net income / Average total assets. ROA measures how
profitably a company uses its assets.
Chapter 1: Accouting and the Business Environment Page 4 of 84
1. What is accounting?
Accounting is the information system that measures business activities, processes
the information into reports, and communicates the results to decision makers.
Accounting is the language of business.
2. Briefly describe the two major fields of accounting.
Financial accounting provides information for external decision makers, such as
outside investors, lenders, customers, and the federal government. Managerial
accounting focuses on information for internal decision makers, such as the
company’s managers and employees.
3. Describe the various types of individuals who use accounting information and how
they use that information to make important decisions.
Individuals use accounting information to help them manage their money, evaluate a
a new job, and better decide whether they can afford to make a new purchase.
Business owners use accounting information to set goals, measure progress toward
those goals, and make adjustments when needed. Investors use accounting
information to help them decide whether or not a company is a good investment and
once they have invested, they use a company’s financial statements to analyze how
their investment is performing. Creditors use accounting information to decide
whether to lend money to a business and to evaluate a company’s ability to make
the loan payments. Taxing authorities use accounting information to calculate the
amount of income tax that a company has to pay.
4. What are two certifications available for accountants? Briefly explain each
certification.
Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) are licensed professional accountants who
serve the general public. They work for public accounting firms, businesses,
government, or educational institutions. To be certified they must meet educational
and/or experience requirements and pass an exam. Certified Management
Accountants (CMAs) specialize in accounting and financial management
knowledge. They work for a single company.
Chapter 1: Accouting and the Business Environment Page 1 of 84
,FINANCIAL AND MANAGERIAL ACCOUNTING - Fifth Edition Solutions Manual
5. What is the role of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB)?
The FASB oversees the creation and governance of accounting standards. They
work with governmental regulatory agencies, congressionally created groups, and
private groups.
6. Explain the purpose of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP),
including the organization currently responsible for the creation and governance of
these standards.
The guidelines for accounting information are called GAAP. It is the main U.S.
accounting rule book and is currently created and governed by the FASB. Investors
and lenders must have information that is relevant and has faithful representation in
order to make decisions and the GAAP provides the framework for this financial
reporting.
7. Describe the similarities and differences among the four different types of business
entities discussed in the chapter.
A sole proprietorship has a single owner, terminates upon the owner’s death or
choice, the owner has personal liability for the business’s debts, and it is not a
separate tax entity. A partnership has two or more owners, terminates at partner’s
choice or death, the partners have personal liability, and it is not a separate tax
entity. A corporation is a separate legal entity, has one or more owners, has
indefinite life, the stockholders are not personally liable for the business’s debts,
and it is a separate tax entity. A limited-liability company has one or more members
and each is only liable for his or her own actions, has an indefinite life, and is not a
separate tax entity.
8. A business purchases an acre of land for $5,000. The current market value is $5,550
and the land was assessed for property tax purposes at $5,250. What value should the land
be recorded at, and which accounting principle supports your answer?
The land should be recorded at $5,000. The cost principle states that assets should
be recorded at their historical cost.
Chapter 1: Accouting and the Business Environment Page 2 of 84
,FINANCIAL AND MANAGERIAL ACCOUNTING - Fifth Edition Solutions Manual
9. What does the going concern assumption mean for a business?
The going concern assumption assumes that the entity will remain in business for
the foreseeable future and long enough to use existing resources for their intended
purpose.
10. Which concept states that accounting information should be complete, neutral, and
free from material error?
The faithful representation concept states that accounting information should be
complete, neutral, and free from material error.
11. Financial statements in the United States are reported in U.S. dollars. What
assumption supports this statement?
The monetary unit assumption states that items on the financial statements should
be measured in terms of a monetary unit.
12. Explain the role of the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) in relation
to International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).
The IASB is the organization that develops and creates IFRS which are a set of
global accounting standards that would be used around the world.
13. What is the accounting equation? Briefly explain each of the three parts.
Assets = Liabilities + Equity. Assets are economic resources that are expected to
benefit the business in the future. They are things of value that a business owns or
has control of. Liabilities are debts that are owed to creditors. They are one source
of claims against assets. Equity is the other source of claims against assets.
Equity is the stockholders’ claims against assets and is the amount of assets that is
left over after the company has paid its liabilities. It represents the net worth of the
corporation.
Chapter 1: Accouting and the Business Environment Page 3 of 84
, FINANCIAL AND MANAGERIAL ACCOUNTING - Fifth Edition Solutions Manual
14. How do retained earnings increase? What are the two ways that retained earnings
decreases?
Retained earnings increases with revenues. Retained earnings decreases with
expenses and dividends.
15. How is net income calculated? Define revenues and expenses.
Revenues – Expenses = Net Income. Revenues are earnings resulting from
delivering goods or services to customers. Expenses are the cost of selling goods
or service.
16. What are the steps used when analyzing a business transaction?
Step 1: Identify the accounts and the account type. Step 2: Decide if each account
increases or decreases. Step 3: Determine if the accounting equation is in balance.
17. List the four financial statements. Briefly describe each statement.
Income Statement – Shows the difference between an entity’s revenues and
expenses and reports the net income or net loss for a specific period.
Statement of Retained Earnings – Shows the changes in retained earnings for a
specific period including net income (loss) and dividends.
Balance Sheet – Shows the assets, liabilities, and stockholders’ equity of the
business as of a specific date.
Statement of Cash Flows – Shows a business’s cash receipts and cash payments
for a specific period.
18. What is the calculation for return on assets (ROA)? Explain what ROA measures.
Return on Assets = Net income / Average total assets. ROA measures how
profitably a company uses its assets.
Chapter 1: Accouting and the Business Environment Page 4 of 84
