Reference no: EM13890065

Officials of the Oakbrook Hills Golf and Tennis Club are in the process of preparing a budget for the year ending December 31. Because the club treasurer has had difficulty with two expense items, the process has been delayed. The two items are mixed costs- expenses for electricity and for repairs and maintenance-and the treasurer has been having trouble breaking them down into their variable and fixed components.

An accountant friend has suggested that he use the high-low method to divide the costs into their variable and fixed parts. The spending patterns and activity measures related to each cost during the past year are as follows:

Month	Electricity Expense		Repairs and Maintenance
	Amount	Kilowatt-Hours	Amount	Labor Hours
January	$7,500	210,000	$7,578	220
February	8,255	240,200	7,852	230
March	8,165	236,600	7,304	210
April	8,960	268,400	7,030	200
May	7,520	210,800	7,852	230
June	7,025	191,000	8,126	240
July	6,970	188,800	8,400	250
August	6,990	189,600	8,674	260
September	7,055	192,200	8,948	270
October	7,135	195,400	8,674	260
November	8,560	252,400	8,126	240
December	8,415	246,600	7,852	230
Totals	$92,550	2,622,000	$96,416	2,840

Required:

1. Using the high-low method, compute the variable cost rates used last year for each expense. What was the monthly fixed cost for electricity and for repairs and maintenance? (Round variable cost rate answers to three decimal places.)

2. Compute the total variable cost and total fixed cost for each expense category for last year.

3. The treasurer believes that in the coming year, the electricity rate will increase by $0.005 and the repairs rate, by $1.20. Usage of all items and their fixed cost amounts will remain constant. Compute the projected total cost for each category. How will the cost increases affect the club's profits and cash flow?