Final answer:
To calculate the 2012 depreciation expense of a truck, additional data including cost, salvage value, estimated life, and the depreciation method are necessary. Without these details, one cannot determine the accurate expense from the provided options.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question pertains to calculating the depreciation expense of a truck for Gardner Corporation for the year 2012. To answer the question accurately, we would need additional information about the original cost of the truck, the salvage value at the end of its estimated life, and the specific details about the depreciation method being used. For instance, is Gardner Corporation using straight-line depreciation, units-of-production, or double-declining balance? Each method will result in a different annual depreciation expense.
If the student is referring to the units-of-production method, information about the estimated total miles and the number of miles driven in 2012 would be necessary to calculate the annual depreciation expense. Similarly, for straight-line or double-declining balance methods, the cost and salvage value along with the truck's estimated lifespan would be required to determine the depreciation for 2012.
Without this essential data, it is not possible to accurately choose among the options a) $13,500, b) $12,960, c) $21,600, or d) $36,000 provided for the truck's 2012 depreciation expense.