Break Even Tutorial
Break Even Tutorial
Friends of yours have decided to start a bungee jumping facility over weekends and have registered Just
Jump CC for purposes of trading. No equipment has been acquired yet.
Model A Model B
Height of jump 45 metres 60 metres
Cost price of unit $450 000 $500 000
Duration of session, based on a group of six people
(including the time required to hoist up the cage) 45 minutes 60 minutes
Annual fixed operating expenses $389 325 $423 950
Variable costs per jump $13 $13
Selling price of tickets per person per jump $100 $135
The facility will be in operation from 09:00 daily on every Saturday and Sunday of the year. The last
jumpers have to be back on the ground by 21:00. It is envisaged that it would operate at full capacity,
no matter which model is acquired.
REQUIRED
(a) Determine the breakeven point in terms of a number of jumps in respect of Model B. (3)
(b) Determine, only with regard to Model A, how many jumps would ensure an annual net
profit of $302 325. (5)
(c) Calculate the margin of safety envisaged for Model B and give a brief description of the
significance thereof. (7)
(d) State three factors (other than estimated profitability) that your friends should take into
account before they decide which model to acquire. (5)
QUESTION 2
One of your clients, Mr. Dzoke Benito, opened “The Chocolate Kingdom Humburgers” a few years
ago. For this purpose, a building was rented at $2 400 per month. Three ladies were employed full-
time to work at the restaurant and nine students were employed to work for 20 hours per week
delivering hamburgers. You were appointed to render tax and accounting services at $1 800 per
month. All restaurant equipment and delivery vehicles were initially acquired for cash.
Mr Benito sells hamburgers at $8,00 each. Because of the excellent quality of his food he has
expanded his business. Profits have more than doubled since then, but Mr. Benito does not
understand why his profits have increased more rapidly than his sales volume.
The following is a projected income statement for the year ended 28 February 2017:
Mr Benito has noticed that expenses for utilities and supplies have remained constant over the
years. Assume that Mr Benito pay income tax at a rate of 35% of his income.
Assume that all transactions are cash transactions.
REQUIRED
(a) Calculate the breakeven point, expressed in terms of a number of hamburgers. (13)
(b) Calculate the cash flow breakeven point expressed in terms of a number of hamburgers. (5)
(c) (i) If Mr Benito withdraws $48 000 for personal use, calculate the cash that will
remain from the net cash acquired from business activities for the 2017
financial year. (5)
(ii)Briefly explain to Mr Benito why the cash remaining from the income producing
activities will exceed the profits for the year. (1)
(iii) Determine how much cash Mr Benito can withdraw during the 2017 financial year,
should he want his profit to equal the cash retained. (1)
(d) Mr Benito requires an after-tax net income of $160 000. Calculate the number of hamburgers
that should be sold in order to obtain the desired income. (5)
QUESTION 3
A building company constructs a standard unit which sells for $30 000. The company’s
costs can be readily identifiable between fixed and variable costs.
Sales Profit
(in units) $
January 18 70 000
February 20 100 000
March 30 250 000
April 22 130 000
May 24 160 000
June 16 40 000
Budgeted data for the coming six months includes the following:
You are told that the fixed costs for the six months have been spread evenly over the period
under review to arrive at the monthly profit projections.
Required:
(e) Prepare a graph for total sales, costs and output for the six months under review that shows:
(ii) The break-even point in units and revenue.
(iii) Total fixed costs.
(iv) The variable cost line.
(v) The margin of safety for the total budgeted sales.
(14 marks)
(b) The company is worried about the low level of sales. The sales director says that if the selling
price of the unit was reduced by $5000 the company would be able to sell 10% more units. All
other costs would remain the same you are told.
Determine whether the company should reduce the selling price to attract new sales in order to
maximize profit. Clearly show any workings. (5 marks)
(c) Evaluate whether the assumption that costs are readily identifiable as either fixed or variable
throughout a range of production is realistic. Give examples of any alternative classification. (6
marks)
(Total 25 marks)
QUESTION 4
TORIRO Ltd produces two products and the following budget apples for 2001:
Product X Product Y
($) ($)
Selling price 6 12
Variable costs 2 4
Contribution margin 4 8
Fixed costs apportioned $100 000 $200 000
Units sold 70 000 30 000
You are required to calculate the break-even points for each product and the company as and
comment on your findings.
QUESTION 5
Required: