Real-world examples of the accounting equation in action
1. Purchase of Inventory on Credit (Retail Business)
- Transaction: A clothing store purchases inventory worth $10,000 on credit.
- Impact on Accounting Equation:
- Assets: Inventory increases by $10,000.
- Liabilities: Accounts Payable increases by $10,000.
- Result:
2. Loan Taken for Business Expansion (Manufacturing Industry)
- Transaction: A manufacturing company takes a $50,000 loan from the bank to purchase new machinery.
- Impact on Accounting Equation:
- Assets: Machinery increases by $50,000.
- Liabilities: Bank Loan increases by $50,000.
- Result:
3. Revenue Earned from a Service (Consulting Firm)
- Transaction: A consulting firm provides services worth $5,000 to a client on credit.
- Impact on Accounting Equation:
- Assets: Accounts Receivable increases by $5,000.
- Equity: Retained Earnings (Revenue) increases by $5,000.
- Result:
4. Payment of Monthly Expenses (Food Delivery Business)
- Transaction: A food delivery company pays $2,000 for rent and $500 for utilities.
- Impact on Accounting Equation:
- Assets: Cash decreases by $2,500.
- Equity: Retained Earnings (Expenses) decreases by $2,500.
- Result:
5. Issuance of Shares (Startup or Public Company)
- Transaction: A startup issues new shares and raises $100,000 from investors.
- Impact on Accounting Equation:
- Assets: Cash increases by $100,000.
- Equity: Share Capital increases by $100,000.
- Result:
6. Dividend Payment (Publicly Traded Company)
- Transaction: A company declares and pays $10,000 in dividends to shareholders.
- Impact on Accounting Equation:
- Assets: Cash decreases by $10,000.
- Equity: Retained Earnings decreases by $10,000.
- Result:
7. Sale of Equipment (Construction Company)
- Transaction: A construction company sells old equipment for $8,000 cash (book value $6,000).
- Impact on Accounting Equation:
- Assets: Cash increases by $8,000; Equipment decreases by $6,000.
- Equity: Gain on sale increases Retained Earnings by $2,000.
- Result:
8. Employee Salary Payment (Hospitality Industry)
- Transaction: A hotel pays $15,000 in salaries for its employees.
- Impact on Accounting Equation:
- Assets: Cash decreases by $15,000.
- Equity: Retained Earnings (Expenses) decreases by $15,000.
- Result:
9. Customer Advance Payment (Event Planning Business)
- Transaction: An event planning company receives $3,000 as advance payment for future services.
- Impact on Accounting Equation:
- Assets: Cash increases by $3,000.
- Liabilities: Unearned Revenue increases by $3,000.
- Result:
10. Insurance Payment (Real Estate Business)
- Transaction: A real estate company pays $12,000 for one year of insurance coverage in advance.
- Impact on Accounting Equation:
- Assets: Cash decreases by $12,000, Prepaid Insurance increases by $12,000.
- Liabilities and Equity: No change.
- Result: