Comparing Three Depreciation Methods

Dexter Industries purchased packaging equipment on January $8$ for $$72,000.$ The equipment was expected to have a useful life of three years, or $18,000$ operating hours, and a residual value of $$4,500.$ The equipment was used for $7,600$ hours during Year $1,6,000$ hours in Year $2,$ and $4,400$ hours in Year $3.$

Required:

Determine the amount of depreciation expense for the years ended December $31,$ Year $1,$ Year $2$ and Year $3$ by $($a$)$ the straight$-$line method,

$($b$)$ the units$-$of$-$activity method, and $($c$)$ the double$-$declining$-$balance method. Also determine the total depreciation expense for the three years by each method. Round the answer for each year to the nearest whole dollar.

Depreciation Expense

$\backslash$table$[[$Year$,$Straight$-$Line Method,Units$-$of$-$Activity Method,Double$-$Declining$-$Balance Method$],[$Year $1,$$$,$$$,],[$Year $2,,,],[$Year $3,,,],[$Total$,,,]]$

What method yields the highest depreciation expense for Year $1?$

Double$-$declining$-$balance method