Question

Difficulty: MediumAccounting Concepts and Conventions

Match each financial reporting practice described on the left with its corresponding governing accounting concept or convention on the right.

  • Recording non-current assets at their acquisition price regardless of current market values.Historical Cost Concept
  • Recognizing revenues and expenses when incurred rather than when cash is paid or received.Accrual Concept
  • Anticipating future potential losses while recognizing profits only when realized.Prudence Convention
  • Treating the enterprise as a distinct unit separate from its owner for accounting purposes.Business Entity Concept

Answer

The correct pairings are: (1) Recording non-current assets at acquisition price matches Historical Cost Concept; (2) Recognizing revenues and expenses when incurred matches Accrual Concept; (3) Anticipating future potential losses while recognizing profits only when realized matches Prudence Convention; (4) Treating the enterprise as a distinct unit separate from its owner matches Business Entity Concept.
Each statement directly articulates the primary definition of its paired concept: recording assets at purchase price follows the Historical Cost Concept; recognizing income/expenses in the period they occur follows the Accrual Concept; anticipating losses while delaying profit recognition until earned follows the Prudence Convention; and isolating the firm's finances from its owner follows the Business Entity Concept.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze each statement on the left to identify its primary financial accounting focus.
Statement 1 deals with asset valuation at cost; Statement 2 relates to cash flow timing versus transaction period; Statement 3 relates to conservative financial reporting of profits and losses; Statement 4 focuses on legal and accounting boundaries of the business.
Matching requires evaluating the fundamental rule underlying each practical accounting statement.
2
Map each statement to the exact governing accounting concept or convention.
Statement 1 maps to Historical Cost Concept; Statement 2 maps to Accrual Concept; Statement 3 maps to Prudence Convention; Statement 4 maps to Business Entity Concept.
Each standard definition aligns directly with one established accounting convention or concept.

Key Concept

Accounting Concepts and Conventions
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