Final answer:
The actual machine hours used during October were 615 hours, and the variable overhead flexible-budget variance was $1,405 unfavorable.
Step-by-step explanation:
Your questions relate to the computation of machine hours and the variance analysis in a manufacturing context. Let's calculate the actual machine hours used during October and the variable overhead flexible-budget variance.
To find the actual machine hours used, we need to consider the variable overhead spending variance and the actual cost per machine hour. The spending variance is calculated as:
Spending Variance = (Actual Cost per Machine Hour - Budgeted Cost per Machine Hour) x Actual Machine Hours Used
Given a $1,230 unfavorable variance and the fact that the actual cost per hour was $27, while the budget cost was $25, we can set up the equation:
$1,230 = ($27 - $25) x Actual Machine Hours Used
Actual Machine Hours Used = $1,230 / $2 = 615 hours.
To calculate the variable overhead flexible-budget variance, which is the combination of spending and efficiency variances, we add the given unfavorable efficiency variance to the previously calculated spending variance:
Flexible Budget Variance = Spending Variance + Efficiency Variance
= $1,230 + $175
= $1,405 unfavorable.