Question

Identify the following costs as fixed or variable:

Costs related to plane trips between Boston, Massachusetts, and San Diego, California, follow. Pilots are paid on a per-trip basis.
a. Pilots’ salaries relative to the number of trips flown.
b. Depreciation relative to the number of planes in service.
c. Cost of refreshments relative to the number of passengers.
d. Pilots’ salaries relative to the number of passengers on a particular trip.
e. Cost of a maintenance check relative to the number of passengers on a particular trip.
f. Fuel costs relative to the number of trips.

Answer 1

In simple words, fixed cost refers to the cost that remain stable every time whereas the variable cost are the costs that changes with every change in the level of operations. Thus, the given expenditures can be categorized as follows :

1. Variable cost

2. Fixed costs

3. Variable costs

4. Fixed cost

5. Fixed cost

6. Variable cost