Final answer:
To find the amount of cash in the petty cash fund before replenishment, subtract the total receipts for office supplies, merchandise inventory, miscellaneous expenses, and the cash shortage from the maintained fund balance of $300. The resulting amount before replenishment was $32.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question relates to the operation and replenishment of a petty cash fund. To determine the amount of cash in the fund before the replenishment, we need to consider the total expenses supported by receipts and any shortage of cash that might be present. The total expenses, as stated, include:
$80 for office supplies
$160 for merchandise inventory
$20 for miscellaneous expenses
In addition to these expenses, there was a cash shortage of $8. Since the petty cash fund maintains a balance of $300, we subtract these amounts to determine the remaining cash before replenishment:
$300 - ($80 + $160 + $20 + $8) = $300 - $268 = $32
Therefore, the amount of cash in the fund before the replenishment was $32.