Example Accounting Problems

These sample problems are intended as a supplement to my

book Accounting Made Simple: Accounting Explained in 100 Pages or
Less.

Chapter 1: The Accounting Equation

Question 1: Define the three components of the Accounting Equation.

Question 2: If a business owns a piece of real estate worth $250,000, and

they owe $180,000 on a loan for that real estate, what is owners’ equity in
the property?

Answer to Question 1:

 Assets: All the property owned by a business.

 Liabilities: A company’s outstanding debts.
 Owners’ Equity: The company’s ownership interests in its property
after all debts have been repaid.
Answer to Question 2: $70,000

Chapter 2: The Balance Sheet

Question 1: Categorize the following accounts as to whether they’re Asset,
Liability, of Owners’ Equity accounts.

 Common Stock
 Accounts Receivable
 Retained Earnings
 Cash
 Notes Payable
Question 2: For each of the following assets or liabilities, state whether it
is current or non-current:

 Accounts Payable
 Cash
  Property, Plant, and Equipment
 Note Payable
 Inventory
Answer to Question 1:

 Common Stock: Owners’ Equity

 Accounts Receivable: Asset
 Retained Earnings: Owners’ Equity
 Cash: Asset
 Notes Payable: Liability
Answer to Question 2:

 Accounts Payable: current liability

 Cash: current asset
 Property, Plant, and Equipment: non-current asset
 Note Payable: non-current liability (Though if a portion of the note is
due within the next twelve months, that portion should be shown as a
current liability.)
 Inventory: current asset
Chapter 3: The Income Statement
Question 1: Given the following information, calculate ABC Corp’s Net
Income:

 Sales: $260,000
 Cost of Goods Sold: $100,000
 Salaries and Wages: $20,000
 Rent Expense: $15,000
 Advertising Expense: $35,000
 Cost of repairs resulting from fire: $50,000
Question 2: Using the above information, calculate ABC Corp’s Operating
Income.

Question 3:Using the above information, calculate ABC Corp’s Gross

Profit.

Answer to Question 1: $40,000 (Sales of $260,000 minus $220,000 of

total expenses.)
Answer to Question 2: $90,000 (Operating Income is intended to
represent income from typical business operations. As a result, expenses
resulting from a fire would certainly not be included when calculating
Operating Income.)

Answer to Question 3: $160,000 (Sales minus Cost of Goods Sold)

Chapter 4: The Statement of Retained Earnings

Question 1: Using the following information, calculate the ending balance
in Retained Earnings:

 Beginning Retained Earnings: $10,000

 Net Income: $5,000
 Dividends Paid: $4,000
Question 2: Calculate Net Income given the following information:

 Consulting Revenue: $50,000

 Rent Expense: $5,000
 Software Licensing Fees: $3,000
 Dividends Paid: $6,000
 Advertising Expense:$20,000
Question 3: Using the following information, calculate how much was
paid out in dividends during the year:

 Beginning Retained Earnings: $40,000

 Net Income: $15,000
 Ending Retained Earnings: $30,000
Answer to Question 1: $11,000

Answer to Question 2: $22,000 (Remember, dividends are not an

expense! They are a distribution of net income rather than a reduction of
net income.)

Answer to Question 3: $25,000

Chapter 5: The Cash Flow Statement
Question 1: Calculate cash flow from operating activities using the
following information:

 Cash sales: $10,000

 Credit sales: $15,000
 Cash received from prior credit sales: $8,000
 Rent paid: $3,000
 Inventory purchased: $6,000
 Wages paid:$5,000
Question 2: Categorize the following cash flows as to whether they are
operating, investing, or financing activities:

 Taxes paid
 Dividends paid to shareholders
 Interest paid on loans
 Dividends received on investments
 Cash sales
 Purchase of new office furniture
Answer to Question 1: Net cash inflow of $4,000. (Remember not to
include the $15,000 of credit sales when calculating cash flow.)

Answer to Question 2:

 Taxes paid: Operating Activities

 Dividends paid to shareholders: Financing Activities
 Interest paid on loans: Operating Activities (Note: Principal paid on
loans is a financing activity.)
 Dividends received on investments: Operating Activities
 Cash sales: Operating Activities
 Purchase of new office furniture: Investing Activities
Chapter 6: Financial Ratios
Questions 1-3: Use the following income statement and balance sheet to
answer the following questions.

Income Statement
Sales 130,000
Cost of Goods Sold 26,000
Profit Margin 104,000
Salaries and Wages 15,000
Rent Expense 5,000
Licensing Expenses 20,000
Advertising Expense 4,000
Total Expenses 44,000
Net Income 60,000
Balance Sheet
Assets
Cash 10,000
Inventory 15,000
Property, Plant, and Equipment 250,000
Accounts Receivable 5,000
Total Assets 280,000
Liabilities
Accounts Payable 20,000
Notes Payable 40,000
Total Liabilities 60,000
Owners’ Equity
Common Stock 120,000
Retained Earnings 100,000
Total Owners’ Equity 220,000
Question 1: Calculate the company’s current ratio and quick ratio.

Question 2: Calculate the company’s return on assets and return on

equity.

Question 3: Calculate the company’s debt ratio and debt to equity ratio.

Answer to Question 1: Current ratio = 1.5 (30,000 current assets ÷

20,000 current liabilities). Quick ratio = 0.75 (15,000 non-inventory
current assets ÷ 20,000 current liabilities).
Answer to Question 2: Return on assets = 21.4% (60,000 net income ÷
280,000 total assets). Return on equity = 27.3% (60,000 net income ÷
220,000 shareholders’ equity)

Answer to Question 3: Debt ratio = 21.4% (60,000 liabilities ÷ 280,000

assets). Debt to equity ratio = 27.3% (60,000 liabilities ÷ 220,000
shareholders’ equity).

Chapter 7: What is GAAP?

Question 1: Who is required to follow GAAP?

Question 2: Who creates the rules for GAAP?

Question 3: What is the purpose of Generally Accepted Accounting

Principles (GAAP)?

Answer to Question 1: Publicly-traded companies. (Governmental

entities are required to follow GAAP as well, but the rules that make up
GAAP for governmental entities are significantly different from the rules for
publicly-traded companies.)

Answer to Question 2: The Financial Accounting Standards Board

(FASB)

Answer to Question 3: To purpose of GAAP is to ensure that companies’

financial statements are prepared using a similar set of rules and
assumptions. This helps to enable meaningful comparisons between the
financial statements of multiple companies.

Chapter 8: Debits and Credits

Questions 1-3: Show how the following transactions would affect the
Accounting Equation

Question 1: James purchases a $5,000 piece of equipment.

Question 2: James writes his monthly check for rent: $3,000.

Question 3: James takes out a $25,000 loan with his bank.

Questions 4-6: Create journal entries to record the following transactions

Question 4: James purchases a $5,000 piece of equipment.

Question 5: James writes his monthly check for rent: $3,000.

Question 6: James takes out a $25,000 loan with his bank.

Answer to Question 1:

Assets = Liabilities + Owners’ Equity

-5,000 no change no change
+5,000
Answer to Question 2:

Assets = Liabilities + Owners’ Equity

-3,000 -3,000
Answer to Question 3:

Assets = Liabilities + Owners’ Equity

+25,000 +25,000
Answer to Question 4:

Dr. Equipment 5,000

Cr. Cash 5,000
Answer to Question 5:

Dr. Rent Expense 3,000

Cr. Cash 3,000
Answer to Question 6:
Dr. Cash 25,000
Cr. Note Payable 25,000
Chapter 9: Cash vs. Accrual
Questions 1-5: Prepare journal entries to record each of the following
events.

Question 1: Tom’s Tax Prep’s monthly rent is $3,500. At the end of

February, they had not yet received their monthly rent invoice.

Question 2: In early March, Tom’s Tax Prep receives and pays their rent
bill for February.

Question 3: Marla, a marketing consultant, performs services for a client.

The agree-upon price was $10,000, due 30 days from the date the services
were completed.

Question 4: ABC Hardware makes a sale (on credit) for $2,500 worth of
lumber. The lumber originally cost them $1,300.

Question 5: Julie takes out a $10,000 loan for her business. Repayment is
due in one year along with $1,200 interest.

Answer to Question 1:

Dr. Rent Expense 3,500

Cr. Rent Payable 3,500
Answer to Question 2:

Dr. Rent Payable 3,500

Cr. Cash 3,500
Answer to Question 3:

Accounts Receivable 10,000

Sales 10,000
Answer to Question 4:

Accounts Receivable 2,500

Sales 2,500
Cost of Goods Sold 1,300
Inventory 1,300
Answer to Question 5:

When the loan is taken out:

Cash 10,000
Note Payable 10,000
At the end of each month during the year:

Interest Expense 100

Interest Payable 100
When the loan is repaid:

Note Payable 10,000

Interest Payable 1,200
Cash 11,200
Chapter 10: The Accounting Close Process
Prepare closing journal entries for Mario’s Mobile Products, which has the
following end-of-year trial balance:

Cash 40,000
Accounts Receivable 8,000
Property, Plant, and Equipment 150,000
Inventory 30,000
Accounts Payable 15,000
Wages Payable 22,000
Common Stock 50,000
Retained Earnings 60,000
Sales 380,000
Cost of Goods Sold 120,000
Rent Expense 60,000
Wages and Salary Expense 110,000
Advertising Expense 9,000

Answer:

Sales 380,000
Income Summary 380,000
Income Summary 120,000
Cost of Goods Sold 120,000
Income Summary 60,000
Rent Expense 60,000
Income Summary 110,000
Wages and Salary Expense 110,000
Income Summary 9,000
Advertising Expense 9,000

Alternatively, the above can be combined into one journal entry:

Sales 380,000
Cost of Goods Sold 120,000
Rent Expense 60,000
Wages and Salary Expense 110,000
Advertising Expense 9,000
Income Summary 81,000

In either case, the following closing journal entry is also required in order
to close out the Income Summary account and transfer the balance —
representing the business’s net income for the period — into Retained
Earnings:

Income Summary 81,000

Retained Earnings 81,000
Chapter 11: Other GAAP Concepts and
Assumptions
Question 1: Andy runs a real estate development firm. Five years ago, he
purchased a piece of land for $250,000. This year, an appraiser tells Andy
that the land is worth $300,000. At what value should Andy report the land
on his balance sheet? Why?

Question 2: Andy is the sole owner of his firm. In June, he moves

$30,000 from his business checking account to his personal checking
account. If Andy wants his financial records to be in accordance with GAAP,
should he record the transaction or not? Why?

Answer to Question 1: Andy should report the land at its original cost:
$250,000. Under GAAP’s “Historical Cost” assumption, assets are reported
at their historical cost rather than at their current market value. This is
done in order to remove subjective asset valuations from the reporting
process.

Answer to Question 2: Yes, in order to be in compliance with GAAP,

Andy must record the transaction. GAAP’s “Entity Assumption” considers
businesses to be separate entities from their owners. As such, transactions
between a business and its owners must be recorded as if they were
between the business and an entirely separate party.

Chapter 12: Depreciation of Fixed Assets

Questions 1-6: Prepare journal entries to record each of the following
events:

Question 1: Liliana spends $20,000 (cash) on a piece of equipment for

use in her restaurant. She plans to use the straight-line method to
depreciate the equipment over 5 years. She expects it to have no value at
the end of the 5 years.

Question 2: After 4 years, Liliana sells the equipment for $4,000.

Question 3: Same as question 2, except she sells the equipment for

$6,000.
Question 4: Same as question 2, except she sells the equipment for
$2,000.

Question 5: Oscar is a self-employed electrician. He purchases a piece of

equipment for $30,000 cash. He plans to use it for 10 years, at which point
he plans to sell it for approximately $4,000.He elects to use the straight-
line method of depreciation.

Question 6: Sandra runs a business making embroidered linens for

wedding receptions. She purchases a new piece of equipment for $15,000
in credit. She plans to use the units of production method of depreciation.
The equipment is expected to produce approximately 5,000 linens, at
which point it will be valueless. During the first year after buying the
equipment, Sandra uses it to produce 1,500 linens.

Answer to Question 1:

To record the purchase:

Equipment 20,000
Cash 20,000
To record depreciation every year:

Depreciation Expense 4,000

Accumulated Depreciation 4,000
Answer to Question 2:

Cash 4,000
Accumulated Depreciation 16,000
Equipment 20,000
Answer to Question 3:

Cash 6,000
Accumulated Depreciation 16,000
Gain on Sale of Equipment 2,000
 Equipment 20,000
Answer to Question 4:

Cash 2,000
Accumulated Depreciation 16,000
Loss on Sale of Equipment 2,000
Equipment 20,000
Answer to Question 5:

To record the purchase:

Equipment 30,000
Cash 30,000
To record depreciation every year:

Depreciation Expense 2,600

Accumulated Depreciation 2,600
(Depreciable value is $26,000. If depreciated over 10 years, that’s $2,600
depreciation per year.)

Answer to Question 6:

To record the purchase:

Equipment 15,000
Accounts Payable 15,000
When the purchase is eventually paid for:

Accounts Payable 15,000

Cash 15,000
To record depreciation for the first year:

Depreciation Expense 4,500

Accumulated Depreciation 4,500
($15,000 depreciable value ÷ 5,000 units = $3 of depreciation per unit.
1,500 units produce x $3 per unit = $4,500 depreciation expense.)

Chapter 13: Amortization of Intangible Assets

Questions 1-2: Prepare journal entries to record each of the following
events.

Question 1: Trent runs a business as an engineering consultant. He

invents a new system for preparing bridges to deal with extreme weather
conditions. He spends $28,000 securing a 14-year patent for his invention.
He expects the system to be used for the next few decades at least.

Question 2: Tina runs a business creating medical supplies for surgeries.

Her team develops a new tool for assisting in heart surgery. She spends
$42,000 on getting it patented. She receives a 14-year patent, but she only
expects the technology to be used for about 7 years before a newer
technology comes along to replace it.

Answer to Question 1:

To record receiving the patent:

Patents 28,000
Cash 28,000
To record amortization expense each year:

Amortization Expense 2,000

Accumulated Amortization 2,000
Answer to Question 2:

To record receiving the patent:

Patents 42,000
Cash 42,000
To record amortization expense each year:

Amortization Expense 6,000

Accumulated Amortization 6,000
Chapter 14: Inventory and Cost of Goods Sold
Question 1: Using the following information, calculate Cost of Goods Sold:

 Beginning Inventory: $3,000

 Ending Inventory: $4,500
 Purchases: $6,000
Question 2-4: Use the following information to answer questions 2-4.

 Beginning Inventory: 1,000 units at $4/unit.

 Purchases: 600 units at $5/unit.
 Ending Inventory: 900 units.
Question 2: Calculate Cost of Goods Sold using First-In-First-Out (FIFO)

Question 3: Calculate Cost of Goods Sold using Last-In-First-Out (LIFO)

Question 4: Calculate Cost of Goods Sold using the Average Cost Method

Answer to Question 1: CoGS = $4,500

Answer to Question 2: CoGS = $2,800

Explanation:

The first thing to calculate is how many units were sold. In this case, 700
units must have been sold. Now we just have to figure out the cost for each
unit of sold inventory.

Using FIFO, we assume that the first units purchased were the first units
sold. Therefore, all 700 sold units must have been from the older ($4 per
unit) inventory. 700 units x $4 per unit = $2,800
 Answer to Question 3: CoGS =$3,400

Again, we know that 700 units were sold. Under LIFO, we assume that the
most recently purchased units are sold first. Therefore, all 600 of the $5
units must have been sold. The remaining 100 sold units must have been
from the older ($4/unit) inventory.

(600 units x $5 per unit) + (100 units x $4 per unit) = $3,400

Answer to Question 4: CoGS =$3,062.50

Using the Average Cost Method, we have to calculate the average cost per
unit of inventory. We know that there were a total of 1,600 units available
for sale and that–in total–they cost $7,000. That gives us an average cost
per unit of $4.38 (or $4.375 to be precise).

To calculate CoGS, we multiply this average cost per unit by the number of
units sold. 700 units x $4.375 per unit = $3,062.50

To Learn More, Check Out the Book:

Accounting Made Simple:

Accounting Explained in 100 Pages
or Less
 See it on Amazon.

Topics Covered in the Book:

 How to read and prepare financial statements
 Preparing journal entries with debits and credits
 Cash method vs. accrual method
 Click here to see the full list.
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