The FOURX Corp. has purchased $50,000 of experimental equipment. The anticipated salvage value is $5500 at the end of its 5-year depreciable life. This profitable corporation is considering two methods of depreciation: straight-line and double declining balance. If it uses 10% interest in its comparison, which method do you recommend? a. NPW(SL): $37,908; NPW(DDB): $37,068; Recommendation: SL
b. NPW(SL): $33,738; NPW(DDB): $37,068; Recommendation: DDB
c. NPW(SL): $33,738; NPW(DDB): $26,551; Recommendation: SL
d. NPW(SL): $33,738; NPW(DDB): $38,069; Recommendation: DDB

b. NPW(SL): $33,738; NPW(DDB): $37,068; Recommendation: DDB

Explanation:

The computation is shown below:

As we know that

Present value is

=  [Cash Flow ÷ (1 + Rate of Interest)^Year]

where,

Rate of Interest = 10%

Under Straight-line depreciation:

Beginning book value = $50,000

Salvage value = $5,500

So, the depreciationper year is

=  [($50,000 - $5,500) ÷ 5]

= $8,900

Year    Beginning   Depreciation  End                 Present value

           book value                  book valueof depreciation

1            $50,000      $8,900        $41,100             $8,090.91

2           $41,100         $8,900        $32,200           $7,355.37

3           $32,200       $8,900         $23,300           $6,686.70

4           $23,300       $8,900         $14,400           $6,078.82

5           $14,400        $8,900         $5,500              $5,526.20

                                                                                  $33,738.00

Under Double declining depreciation:

Depreciation rate per year = (1 ÷ Useful  Life) × 100

= 1 ÷ 5 × 100

= 20%

Now for double-declining, the rate is doubled

So,

= 20% × 2

= 40%

Year    Beginning   Depreciation  End                 Present value

           book value                  book valueof depreciation

1            $50,000      $20,000       $30,000           $18,181.82

2           $30,000       $12,000       $18,000            $9,917.36

3           $18,000       $7,200         $10,800            $5,409.47

4           $10,800       $4,320         $6,480             $2,950.62

5           $6,480       $980              $5,500            $608.50

                                                                                $37,068

the correct answer is b.)