$($a$)$

Your answer is correct.

What gross margin percentage was Joseph originally expecting to earn on each product, per the information provided above?

$($Round answers to $2$ decimal places, e$.$g$.52\mathrm{.}75\%.)($b$)$

Your answer is partially correct.

How much of a reduction in gross margin did each product sustain after recognizing the higher costs? $($Round answers to $2$ decimal

places, e$.$g$.52\mathrm{.}75\%.)$The bill of materials for each product at Joseph's Office Supply is very specific, right down to the number of casters needed for each

office chair. Joseph recognizes how important these documents are for planning purposes, but his operations managers appreciate

them as well since they use this information to guide their material requisitions when it's time for production.

Here are the budgeted product costs and selling prices, respectively, for the company's three key products:

Joseph has fine$-$tuned all cost expectations for his products, and his selling prices are quite stable for each product, as well. So$,$ to say

Joseph was surprised when his accountant reported significantly less profit margin than what he was expecting is the understatement

of the year.

According to the accountant, the difference is almost entirely attributable to the significant and recent increase in shipping costs for

the company's raw materials. These higher freight costs caused a $20\%$ increase to the budgeted product costs presented above.