Using High-Low to Calculate Fixed Cost, Calculate the Variable Rate, and Construct a Cost Function

Pizza Vesuvio makes specialty pizzas. Data for the past 8 months were collected:

Month		Labor Cost($)			Employee Hours
	January		9,590			430
	February		7,100			500
	March		7,631			530
	April		8,240			400
	May		9,887			460
	June		8,590			360
	July		11,812			590
	August		7,600			330

Pizza Vesuvio's controller wants to calculate the fixed and variable costs associated with labor used in the restaurant.

In your calculations, round the variable rate per employee hour to the nearest cent. If required, round your final answers to the nearest cent.

Required:

1. Using the high-low method, calculate the variable rate.

2. Using the high-low method, calculate the fixed cost of labor.

3. Using the high-low method, construct the cost formula for total labor cost.

Total labor cost = $fill in the blank 3 + ($fill in the blank 4 Employee hours)