A-Level Accounting 7127/2: Paper 2 Accounting For Analysis and Decision-Making
A-Level Accounting 7127/2: Paper 2 Accounting For Analysis and Decision-Making
A-Level Accounting 7127/2: Paper 2 Accounting For Analysis and Decision-Making
ACCOUNTING
7127/2
PAPER 2 ACCOUNTING FOR ANALYSIS AND DECISION-MAKING
Mark scheme
Specimen
V1.0
MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL ACCOUNTING – 7127/2 – SAMS
Mark schemes are prepared by the Lead Assessment Writer and considered, together with the relevant
questions, by a panel of subject teachers. This mark scheme includes any amendments made at the
standardisation events which all associates participate in and is the scheme which was used by them in
this examination. The standardisation process ensures that the mark scheme covers the students’
responses to questions and that every associate understands and applies it in the same correct way.
As preparation for standardisation each associate analyses a number of students’ scripts. Alternative
answers not already covered by the mark scheme are discussed and legislated for. If, after the
standardisation process, associates encounter unusual answers which have not been raised they are
required to refer these to the Lead Assessment Writer.
It must be stressed that a mark scheme is a working document, in many cases further developed and
expanded on the basis of students’ reactions to a particular paper. Assumptions about future mark
schemes on the basis of one year’s document should be avoided; whilst the guiding principles of
assessment remain constant, details will change, depending on the content of a particular examination
paper.
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MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL ACCOUNTING – 7127/2 – SAMS
Before you apply the mark scheme to a student’s answer read through the answer and annotate it (as
instructed) to show the qualities that are being looked for. You can then apply the mark scheme.
When assigning a level you should look at the overall quality of the answer and not look to pick holes in
small and specific parts of the answer where the student has not performed quite as well as the rest. If
the answer covers different aspects of different levels of the mark scheme you should use a best fit
approach for defining the level and then use the variability of the response to help decide the mark within
the level, ie if the response is predominantly level 3 with a small amount of level 4 material it would be
placed in level 3 but be awarded a mark near the top of the level because of the level 4 content.
You may well need to read back through the answer as you apply the mark scheme to clarify points and
assure yourself that the level and the mark are appropriate.
Indicative content in the mark scheme is provided as a guide for examiners. It is not intended to be
exhaustive and you must credit other valid points. Students do not have to cover all of the points
mentioned in the Indicative content to reach the highest level of the mark scheme.
An answer which contains nothing of relevance to the question must be awarded no marks.
Examiners are required to assign each of the students' responses to the most appropriate level
according to its overall quality, then allocate a single mark within the level. When deciding upon a mark
in a level examiners should bear in mind the relative weightings of the assessment objectives and be
careful not to over/under credit a particular skill. For example, in questions 14.2, 15.2, 16 and 17 more
weight should be given to AO3 than to AO2. This will be exemplified and reinforced as part of examiner
training.
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MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL ACCOUNTING – 7127/2 – SAMS
The own figure rule is designed to ensure that students are only penalised once for a particular error at
the point at which that error is made, and suffer no further penalty as consequence of the error. The
error could be in an account, a calculation, financial statement, or prose explanation. Where the own
figure rule is to be applied in a mark scheme, the symbol OF is used.
Applications
In an account: a student could still achieve a mark for balancing an account with their own figure, rather
than the correct figure, if they had made an error in the account (such as the omission of an entry, or the
inclusion of an incorrect figure for an otherwise valid entry). However, it should be noted that an own
figure would not be awarded for the balance of an account, if the account contained any item which
should not have appeared (often referred to as an ‘alien’ item).
In a complex calculation to which several marks are allocated: a student could achieve an own figure
mark for the result of a complex calculation, if an error has been made in one of the steps leading to the
final result. The complex calculation could be a separate task, or an aspect of a larger requirement
(such as workings to provide details for a financial statement).
In a financial statement: a student could still achieve a mark for calculating an own figure for a key
subtotal within a financial statement where an error had already occurred in the data making up the
subsection (such as the omission of an item, or an incorrect figure for an otherwise valid entry). Again,
the own figure for a subtotal would not be given if the subsection included any ‘alien’ item.
In a prose statement: a student who is explaining or interpreting some financial statements or data that
they have prepared but which contains errors, would be credited with an appropriate interpretation of
their own figures.
Workings
A ‘W’ next to a figure in the mark schemes means that the figure needs to be calculated by the student to
which workings are shown for reference. If the figure the student has given in their answer is wrong and
the marks given for that calculation are more than 1 then the marker must refer to the working for that
item. The working will show the steps of the calculation to which the marks are attributed and the student
should be allocated the marks for the steps they completed correctly.
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MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL ACCOUNTING – 7127/2 – SAMS
Section A
AO1 – 10 marks
Question Answer
Number
1 D
2 A
3 D
4 A
5 C
6 A
7 B
8 C
9 C
10 A
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MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL ACCOUNTING – 7127/2 – SAMS
AO1 – 6 marks
Apply the levels of response mark scheme to each difference – 3 marks maximum for each
difference.
Management accounting
Focuses on planning, control and decision making
Prepared for internal use - to provide information for internal rather than external stakeholders.
Financial accounting
Focuses on preparation of financial statements based on historical information
Examples :
Income statement
Statement of financial position
Annual report
Prepared for external stakeholders – principally the shareholders but also for other stakeholders
such as the government, banks, potential investors
The indicative content is not exhaustive; other creditworthy material should be awarded marks as
appropriate.
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MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL ACCOUNTING – 7127/2 – SAMS
AO1 – 1 mark
Working
Revenue at break-even 50 000 = £5 per unit
Break-even in units 10 000
AO1 – 1 mark
Working
Costs at break-even – fixed cost 50 000 – 30 000 = £2 per unit
Output 10 000
AO1 – 1 mark
1 mark for correct answer
AO1 – 1 mark
1 mark for correct answer
Working £5 – £2 = £3
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MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL ACCOUNTING – 7127/2 – SAMS
12 5 Calculate the forecast profit if 12 000 units are manufactured and sold. 2
AO1 – 2 marks
Answer: £6000
Working
Output – breakeven output 12 000 – 10 000 = 2000 (1)
Contribution per unit 2000 ×3 = £6000 (1)
AO1 – 2 marks
Period 1
Opening inventory 1400
Sales (8000)
Closing inventory 1800 (1) W1
Production 8400 (1) W2
Working
W1
Closing inventory
Period 2 sales ÷ 5 = 9000 ÷ 5 = 1800 (1)
W2
Production
8000 + 1800 – 1400 = 8400 (1)
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MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL ACCOUNTING – 7127/2 – SAMS
AO1 – 6 marks
Apply the levels of response mark scheme to each benefit – 3 marks maximum for each
benefit.
A production budget should mean that production is planned which would help to avoid having
excess stock or large variations in production levels which could cause problems with labour
usage/costs or storage problems.
Planning production will allow co-ordination with other departments for example.
It will enable purchasing to be planned in advance which could lead to reduced prices and
better relationships with suppliers.
The labour requirements could be planned in advance to ensure production can be met and
there is no surplus.
The indicative content is not exhaustive; other creditworthy material should be awarded marks
as appropriate.
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MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL ACCOUNTING – 7127/2 – SAMS
SECTION B
14 1 Prepare the cash budget for the partnership for the months of July and 14
August.
AO2 – 14 marks
July August
£ £
Receipts
Fees - immediate 9 125 (1)W1 7 000 (1)W1
Fees 30 days 19 000 (1)W2 18 250 (1)W2
Fees 60 days 11 515 (1)W3 9 310 (1)W3
Capital introduced 15 000 (1)#
54 640 34 560
Payments
Operating expenses
31 425 31 425
Purchase of car 45 000 #
Drawings
Alan 3 000 (1)W4 2 400 (1)W4
Bashar 2 475 (1)W5
Interest 170 (1)OFW6
81 900 33 995
# award 1 mark for including both capital introduced and the purchase of the car
*OF marks are for the process of balancing. They should be numerically correct.
July: to award the OF mark it must include operating expenses; if there are any extraneous
items, eg interest on capital; or drawings for Chun do not award the mark.
August: to award the OF mark it must include operating expenses; if there are any extraneous
items such as drawings for Bashar do not award the mark.
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MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL ACCOUNTING – 7127/2 – SAMS
Working
W1
Fees immediate
July 36 500 × 25% = £9125 (1)
August 28 000 × 25% = £7000 (1)
W2
Fees 30 days
July 38 000 × 50% = £19 000 (1)
August 36 500 × 50% = £18 250 (1)
W3
Fees 60 days
July 47 000 × 25% × 98% = £11 515 (1)
August 38 000 × 25% × 98% = £9310 (1)
W4
Drawings Alan
July 15 000 × 20% = £3000 (1)
August 12 000 × 20% = £2400 (1)
W5
Drawings Bashar
July 16 5000 × 15% = £2475 (1)
W6
Interest on over draft
Closing balance July × 10% ÷ 12
20 400 (OF) × 10% = 2040 ÷ 12 = £170 (1)
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MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL ACCOUNTING – 7127/2 – SAMS
14 2 Advise the partners whether they should finance the purchase of the 6
car using the bank overdraft or a bank loan.
Overdraft
• The overdraft facility does not meet the full cost of the car, so the balance would be paid out
of the partnership cash flow.
• The overdraft would be repayable on demand – but bank may not ask for payment.
• This means that the purchase of the car is being paid from usual cash flows of the business.
• Cash budget appears to show surplus cash flows if this continues then overdraft will be
reduced eg £20 400/£19 835 and not full cost of car
• Interest rate is higher than loan – but only paid on overdrawn amount. Interest on overdraft of
£20 400 for example would be £2040 per annum
Bank loan
• The loan amount matches the cost of the car
• Fixed repayments that can be planned for
• Interest rate lower, but is variable, so it could go up or down which could cause problems for
the partnership in the future. Initially interest on £45 000 would be £2250 per annum.
• The loan is for 5 years – the partners need to be confident that the car will have an estimated
useful life of at least 5 years
The indicative content is not exhaustive; other creditworthy material should be awarded marks as
appropriate.
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MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL ACCOUNTING – 7127/2 – SAMS
15 1 Calculate the cost of making each unit of Quixo and each unit of Zecal 14
and the profit or loss per unit on each product.
AO2 – 14 marks
Workings
Quixo Zecal
£ £
Direct materials
8.00
6.00
Direct labour
9.00
14.00
Total direct cost
17.00
20.00
Overheads:
Transfers 5 × £0.50 2.50 (1) OF* 10 × £0.50 5.00 (1) OF*
Inspections 4 × £0.75 3.00 (1) OF* 7 × £0.75 5.25 (1) OF*
Total cost per unit
22.50 30.25
Selling price per
17.20 36.40
unit
Profit/(loss) per unit (5.30) (1) OF# 6.15 (1) OF#
Marker note:
* award OF marks for applying the appropriate number of transfers/inspections to the
students own figures for the overhead allocation rates.
# to award OF marks for profit/loss the calculation must include direct costs.
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MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL ACCOUNTING – 7127/2 – SAMS
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MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL ACCOUNTING – 7127/2 – SAMS
SECTION C
There is an insightful assessment of the significance and limitations of the evidence used to
support the judgement.
4 16–20 A reasoned, but in places unbalanced, judgement and conclusion/solution is presented that
is supported by an evaluation of a wide range of evidence, including a narrow consideration
of other factors relevant to the wider context.
There is a partial assessment of the significance and limitations of the evidence used to
support the judgement.
3 11–15 An underdeveloped judgement and conclusion/solution is presented that is supported by an
evaluation of a range of evidence provided in the question; however there may be
inconsistencies and the reasoning may contain inaccuracies.
A limited but relevant selection of information is analysed, starting to develop a logical chain
of reasoning. The results of the calculation/s are integrated into the analysis but with weak
evaluations.
Responses present a limited selection of information that is not wholly relevant with an
attempt at analysis. A chain of reasoning ranges from being barely present to undeveloped.
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MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL ACCOUNTING – 7127/2 – SAMS
A02 - Application
Reference to the size and direction of the variances for example:
Reconciliation £
Actual profit 22 770
Contribution adjustment (12 750)
10 020
Material price (30 100)
Material usage 47 300
Labour rate (49 020)
Labour 68 000
efficiency
Sales price 43 000
79 980
Budgeted profit 90 000
Labour
Rate – employing less skilled workers at a lower rate of pay
A fall in the market wages
Efficiency– less skilled workers taking longer to complete the tasks
Sales
Price– reduction in price to undercut the opposition or move slow moving products
Price reduced because product is of poor quality
Volume– The price reduction resulted in increased sales
Reduced competition in the market
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MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL ACCOUNTING – 7127/2 – SAMS
Overall assessment
External factors that could cause variances such as:
Materials – price fall due to market change
Labour – lack of skilled workers nationally
Sales – increased competition from abroad
Other valid reasons should be accepted
The indicative content is not exhaustive; other creditworthy material should be awarded marks as
appropriate.
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MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL ACCOUNTING – 7127/2 – SAMS
17 1 Assess the two projects and recommend to the directors the one they 25
should select.
There is an insightful assessment of the significance and limitations of the evidence used
to support the judgement.
4 16–20 A reasoned, but in places unbalanced, judgement and conclusion/solution is presented
that is supported by an evaluation of a wide range of evidence, including a narrow
consideration of other factors relevant to the wider context.
There is a partial assessment of the significance and limitations of the evidence used to
support the judgement.
3 11–15 An underdeveloped judgement and conclusion/solution is presented that is supported by
an evaluation of a range of evidence provided in the question; however there may be
inconsistencies and the reasoning may contain inaccuracies.
Responses present a limited selection of information that is not wholly relevant with an
attempt at analysis. A chain of reasoning ranges from being barely present to
undeveloped.
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MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL ACCOUNTING – 7127/2 – SAMS
A02 - Application
Comparing the financial data for the two projects
Project A : Payback is quicker (5 years) and NPV higher (by £350 000)
Life of project A is shorter (by 10 years) and closer to payback so B may produce more in cash flow after
payback period
Project A
Impact on environment
Exploitation of scarce resources
Project B
Impact on local environment – could be positive eg using derelict land
Impact on local economy and unemployment
Project B
Impact on local environment – could be positive ag using derelict land, however there may be negative
impacts from for example increased traffic – there may be more environmentally friendly alternatives
Will unemployed have skills/attitudes to take jobs created?
Overall
How reliable is the data used in the calculations?
What guarantee that either project will be successful?
The indicative content is not exhaustive; other creditworthy material should be awarded marks as
appropriate.
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aqa.org.uk
22 December 2016