Final answer:
The total amortization expense for Big Time Tires for the first year is $307,500, calculated using the straight-line method with no residual value over a four-year service life for both a patent and a trademark.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student is asking about the amortization expense of intangible assets for Big Time Tires. To calculate this, we can use the straight-line method of amortization which spreads out the expense evenly over the service life of the asset. Since there is no residual value and a four-year service life, we can simply divide the initial cost of each asset by the number of years to determine the yearly expense.
For the patent, this would be:
- $840,000 ÷ 4 years = $210,000 per year
And for the trademark, it would be:
- $390,000 ÷ 4 years = $97,500 per year
Therefore, the total amortization expense for the first year would be:
$210,000 (patent) + $97,500 (trademark) = $307,500