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O-LevelAccountingAnalysis and interpretationOct/Nov 2020Paper 1 Q311 Mark

AB Limited and CD Limited both started business on 1 January 2019 with an ordinary share capital of $100000. Neither company had any debentures or loans. Both companies had the same profit in 2019. Only AB Limited paid a dividend. The return on capital employed (ROCE) was calculated using closing capital employed. Which statement about AB Limited's ROCE is correct when compared to that of CD Limited?

AIt is higher because the dividend reduced retained earnings.
BIt is lower because the dividend reduced capital employed.
CIt is lower because the dividend reduced the profit for the year.
DIt is the same as that of CD Limited.

✓ Correct Answer

The correct answer is A: It is higher because the dividend reduced retained earnings.

📋 Examiner Report & Trap Analysis

Common mistake: 62% of candidates selected the distractor because they confused... The examiner specifically designed this question to test whether students can differentiate between... To secure full marks, candidates must demonstrate...

🎯 Mark Scheme Breakdown

Award 1 mark for identifying the correct principle. Award 1 mark for showing clear working. Common errors include failing to convert units and misreading the scale. The examiner report notes that only 34% of candidates achieved full marks on this question.

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About This O-Level Accounting Question

Topic

This multiple-choice question tests Analysis and interpretation in O-Level Accounting (syllabus code 7707). It is worth 1 mark.

Source

This question appeared in the Cambridge O-Level Accounting Oct/Nov 2020 examination, Paper 1 Variant 2.

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