Step-by-Step Painting prepares and packages paint products. Step-by-Step has two departments: (1) Blending and (2) Packaging. Direct materials are added at the beginning of the blending process (dyes) and at the end of the packaging process (cans). Conversion costs are added evenly throughout each process. Data from the month of May for the Blending Department are as follows:

Gallons:

Beginning work in process inventory.................................................................. 0

Started production............................................................................ 9,000 gallons

Completed and transferred out to Packaging in May...................... 6,500 gallons

Ending work in process inventory (30% of the way through the

blending process)............................................................................ 2,500 gallons

Costs:

Beginning work in process inventory............................................................. $ 0

Costs added during May:

Direct materials (dyes)............................................................................. $5,670

Direct labor................................................................................................... 800

Manufacturing overhead........................................................................... 2,100

Total costs added during May................................................................ $8,570

Requirements

1. Fill in the time line for the Blending Department.

2. Summarize the physical flow of units and compute total equivalent units for direct materials and for conversion costs.

3. Summarize total costs to account for and find the cost per equivalent unit for direct materials and for conversion costs.

4. Assign total costs to units (gallons):

a. Completed and transferred out to the Packaging Department.

b. In the Blending Department ending work in process inventory.

5. What is the average cost per gallon transferred out of the Blending Department to the Packaging Department? Why would Step-by-Step Painting's managers want to know this cost?