AP Chemistry FRQ How to Ace the Free Response Questions

AP Chemistry FRQ How to Ace the Free Response Questions SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Practicing free-response questions is one of the best things you can do to improve your AP Chemistry score. Not only will you excel on the free-response section, but you'll also know the material so well that the multiple-choice questions will be a piece of cake. In this article I'll tell you all about the free-response section of the exam, give you some tips on how to solve AP Chemistry FRQs, and go through a couple of sample problems from recent exams so you can get a feel for what they're like! What’s the Format of the AP Chemistry Free-Response Section? The free-response section of the AP Chemistry exam seems intimidating because it’s longer than free-response sections on most other AP tests, and it includes lots of calculations and experiments that you have to interpret.The most important thing you can do is remain calm and stay focused and methodical in your approach to each question.It’s not as scary or difficult as it looks if you’ve prepared well for the test and use your common sense! Here's an overview of the format of the free-response section: 105 minutes (1 hour 45 minutes) Calculator use permitted Seven questions total Three long response worth 10 points each Four short response worth 4 points each The long response questions always come first! You’ll be tested on the following skills (which may be tied to any topic in the AP Chemistry curriculum): Experimental design Analyzing real lab data to identify patterns and explain phenomena Creating or analyzing diagrams of molecules and atoms to explain observations Translating between different representations of data Following logical steps to analyze and solve problems OK, that all makes sense, but how exactly do you solve these long, complicated questions? In the next section,I’ll go through a step-by-step guide for how to approach the AP Chemistry FRQs. How to Solve AP Chemistry Free-Response Questions It's important to have a game plan for the free-response section. My first piece of advice is not to feel obligated to do the questions in order!Take a couple of minutes (no more than 5-10) at the beginning of the section to look through everything and decide which question you want to tackle first.It’s best to start with your strengths so you'll have more time at the end for challenging questions. You should spend a maximum of 20 minutes on each long free-response question and 10 minutes on each short free-response question.Keep an eye on the time so it doesn’t get away from you! Here are some basic steps you should take to solve free-response questions: Step 1: Figure Out What You Know First, assess the information the question gives you.It can be confusing to extract the data that’s embedded in the introduction over and over again as you go through different parts of the question.Make things easier for yourself by writing down the values you’re given next to the question so that they’re easily accessible when you need them.You should also take time to understand (at least on a general level) the experiment being described so that you don’t feel confused and overwhelmed when you start reading the question. Step 2: Dive Into the Question For each part of the question, read the instructions and ask yourself the following: Do you need to do any calculations? Decide which equations you’ll need (if applicable), and write them down.Do the necessary calculations based on the numbers you extracted in the previous step and any numbers you were given in this part of the question.Make sure you show your work! Don’t erase your calculations, and double-check everything to make sure you have the correct units and your answer makes sense logically. Does the question ask you to justify or explain your answer? If so, DON’T ignore these instructions.In many cases, you’ll only get points for your answer if you can explain it adequately.Use concrete evidence to back up your response (we’re talking hard data).Even if something seems obvious to you, spell it out as clearly as possible to ensure that you earn those points! Do you have to draw a diagram? Even though neither of the free-response questions I'll go over in the next section requiresthis, some questions will ask you to draw diagrams.For example: If you have to answer a question like this, try to be as clear as possible.Draw out your answer on scrap paper first if you feel unsure so that the final product is neat and unambiguous.Here’s the answer, by the way: Step 3: Double Check Look back at the question to make sure you didn’t miss anything or leave out any explanations.Reread each part and connect it directly to its corollary in your response so you’re scooping up all the points you possibly can!You should also walk through how you found each answer to make sure you didn’t make any weird errors you missed the first time around. Finally, check again for appropriate units. Errors in unit conversion are common silly mistakes that are really, really frustrating if you knew how to do the problem correctly otherwise. Did you remember to convert milliliters to liters? AP Chemistry FRQExamples I’ll go through the solution process for a sample question of each type so you can get a better idea of what the test will be like.Notice that these questions look complex and overwhelming at first, but if you stay calm and break them down methodically, they don’t end up being that bad! Long Free-Response Sample Question Here’s a sample long free-response question from the 2014 exam: There’s a ton of information here, so let’s start from the beginning.What we know from the short intro is that the pH of a 0.20 M 50 mL sample of propanoic acid is 2.79 at 25 degrees Celsius.There's alsoan equation that shows how the acid reacts with water and which products are created by this reaction. Now we're ready to tackle part (a): Where’s the conjugate acid-base pair in the equation?There are two pairs that you could potentially list for this answer: CH3CH2COOH (acid) and CH3CH2COO- (base) OR H30+ (acid) and H20 (base) We know that the first compound is propanoic acid, and the loss of the hydrogen atom through the reaction creates the basic compound on the right side of the equation.Conversely, the water in the first half of the equation is a base that becomes an acid when it picks up the hydrogen atom from the propanoic acid. To get this point, you would need to label each compound indicating which is the acid and which is the base. Always read instructions carefully, or you may lose out on points - I can't say this enough! Let’s move onto part (b): What’s the value of Ka for propanoic acid at the temperature indicated in the question?We just need to plug some values into the equation for Ka,which is given to you on the formula sheet for the test: Hmm, looks like we can’t plug in the values yet because we don’t know the molarity of the H30+, which would have to go in the [H+] spot in the equation.We can find that value using this other equation from the formula sheet: This means: -pH = log[H+]10-pH = [H+]10-2.79 = [H30+]1.6 x 10-3 M = [H30+] This value for the molarity of H30+is equal to the molarity of CH3CH2COO-. The same amount of each must be created by the equation because the hydrogen atoms are removed and added in a 1:1 ratio.Armed with this new information, we can go back to the Ka equation: Let's plug in our values: Ka = [H30+][CH3CH2COO-] / [CH3CH2COOH]Ka = (1.6 x 10-3 M)(1.6 x 10-3 M)/ 0.2 MKa = (1.6 x 10-3 M)2/0.2 MKa = 1.3 x 10-5 For part (b), you could earn three points total: One for correctly solving for [H30+] One for plugging the right values into the Ka equation One for solving for Ka correctly OK, now for part (c)! Oh crap, this one has PARTS WITHIN THE PART.Don’t panic; you got this. It’s just true or false plus answer explanations!The explanations on these types of questions are very important. If you don’t explain your answer adequately, you won’t get any points even if the answer itself is correct.You can earn two points total on this question, one for each answer AND explanation. Part (i): In solution, the OH ions from the NaOH will react with the CH3CH2COOH to form water and CH3CH2COO- like so (hydrolysis reaction): The pH of the resulting solution will be GREATER than 7 because of the formation of the new basic compound at equivalence. That means it’s false! Part (ii): If two acid solutions have the same pH, but one is with hydrochloric acid, and the other is with propionic acid, would the first solution necessarily have a lower molar concentration of the HCl? HCl is a strong acid that ionizes completely in solution while propionic acid only partially ionizes.Fewer moles of HCl are needed to produce the same molar concentration of H30+ and reach an equivalent pH level to the propionic acid solution.This one is true! The next part of the question offers up a new scenario, so let’s take stock of what we've learned from the added description.So, the student titrates 25 mL of a ~mystery solution~ (mysterious squiggles added for dramatic flair) of propanoic acid with 0.173 M NaOH and reaches the endpoint of the titration after 20.52 mL of the NaOH has been added. Now onto part (d)! Based on this information, part (d) asks us to figure out the molarity of the propanoic acid. First, how many moles of NaOH were put into the solution?We can find this by multiplying the total volume of NaOH solution by its molarity: (0.02052 L NaOH) x (0.173 mol NaOH / 1 L NaOH) =3.55 x 10-3mol A total of 3.55 x 10-3 moles of NaOH were put into the solution.Since the titration reached the equivalence point at this time, that means that the number of moles of NaOH added would have to be the same as the number of moles of propanoic acid in the original solution.If we divide 3.55 x 10-3 mol propanoic acid by the number of liters of acid in the original solution, we will get the molarity: 3.55 x 10-3 mol propanoic acid / 0.025 L propanoic acid = 0.142 M For this part, you get one point for correctly calculating the number of moles of acid at the equivalence point and one point for providing the correct molarity. Part (e) is a critical thinking question about a new experiment. Would the student have to use a different indicator to figure out the concentration of a solution of an acid with pKa of 4.83?Based on ourKa calculations in part b, we can use one of the equations on the formula sheet to figure out pKa for the original propionic acid and compare the two values. pKa = -logKapKa = -log(1.3 x 10-5)pKa = 4.89 The twopKa values of4.83 and 4.89 are pretty close to one another, so you wouldn’t need to use a different indicator in the new titration.The correct response is to disagree with the student’s claim.You get one point here for disagreeing with the claim and explaining why, and you get a second point for directly comparing the two pKa values. Short Free-Response Sample Question Here’s a sample short free-response question, also from the 2014 exam: As you can see, the â€Å"short† questions aren’t really that short, but they’re not as involved as the long ones.There isn't as much information to digest, and each of the parts of the question is more direct.Each part of this question is worth one point (4 points total). Your response must include the correct answer and the correct justification/methodology to earn points! Starting with part (a): This is a PV = nRT question!Since we want the number of moles of CO2, we’re solving for n.P is 1.04 atm, V is 1.00 L, R is the gas constant (0.08206 L atm mol−1 K−1), and T is 00 K. n = PV/RTn = (1.04 atm)(1.00 L)/(0.08206 L atm mol−1 K−1)(00 K) n = 0.05 mol CO2 Moving onto part (b): In experiment 1, the original number of moles of CaCO3 would be equivalent to 50.0 g / (100.09 g/mol). The 100.09 g/mol number was calculated by adding up the atomic weights of the elements in the compound.This calculation gives us 0.500 mol CaCO3 total. If all of it had decomposed, the figure we calculated in part a for the number of mols of CO2 produced would also be 0.500 mol, but it was only 0.05 mol.This discrepancy means that the student’s claim has to be false! Now let’s tackle part (c): What would happen if more gas was added to the container and the pressure went up to 1.5 atm? Would it go back down to 1.04 atm afterward? Equilibrium was reached in both experiments, and it resulted in a final pressure of 1.04 atm.The reaction would just adjust to the added gas by shifting towards the reactant.The pressure would go back down to the equilibrium figure of 1.04 atm as the excess CO2 was consumed.The final pressure would still be equal to 1.04 atm. Finally, we’ll answer part (d): Can we find Kp with the information we’re given?Yes!The pressure of the CO2 in this experiment determines the equilibrium constant as well because it’s the pressure of the gas at equilibrium.There’s only one gas involved in the reaction, and we already know its equilibrium pressure, which means we also know the value of the constant. Kp = 1.04 How to Practice AP Chemistry Free-Response Questions You can find AP Chemistry FRQsfrom previous years (and their solutions) on the College Board site. The test changed starting in 2014 (seven free-response questions instead of six, and no questions asking you just to balance equations), so keep in mind that only the 2014 and 2015 questions will be completely accurate representations of what you can expect to see on your test. Here's a link to the most recent questions and answer explanations: 2014 and 2015 AP Chemistry Free-Response Questions Note that you have to login to your College Board account for access to the 2015 questions. Even if you don't have an account yet, it's easy enough to create one (and you'll need it eventually anyways!). You can also practice with free-response questions from earlier versions of the exam. While these aren't completely aligned with the current structure of the test, they're still good tools to use in practicing your skills: AP Chemistry Free-Response Questions: 1999-2013 There is no login required for access to these questions. You can also check out my article that lists all the AP Chemistry practice tests and quizzes that are available online (coming soon!). There are a few more unofficial practice tests that include free-response questions modeled after the questions on the real exam. And use a calculator when you practice (you get one for the free-response section on the real test)! Definitely don't use a quill, though. That part of this image is irrelevant and mystifying. Conclusion The free-response section is the most challenging part of the AP Chemistry exam for most students. To do well, you need to have a strong understanding of all the major concepts covered in the course and be able to apply them to a variety of experimental scenarios. Most of these questions look intimidating, but they're manageable if you take them one step at a time and break them down into smaller chunks. Here's a review of how to solve free-response questions: Step 1: Figureout what you know Write down any data that's included in the question Step 2: Diveinto the question Figure out which formulas you need Do the necessary calculations Justify your responses Draw diagrams if applicable Step 3: Double check Make sure your units of measurement are correct Verify that your answers make sense logically Practice your skills on free-response questions from past AP tests until you feel comfortable. Remember, questions from tests before 2014 will be slightly different from the current free-response questions; base your expectations for the real test off the material from 2014 and 2015! What's Next? If you're looking for more AP Chemistry practice, check out my list of the best review books for this year's test.Almost all of them include free-response questions modeled after the current format of the exam. For a holistic look at the most effective way to study for in-class assessments and the final exam, read my ultimate study guide for AP Chemistry. Are you debating whether to start studying now or put it off a little longer? Learn more about when you need to get serious about your study plans for AP tests. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Describe and analyze Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Describe and analyze - Essay Example The closest competitors of Starbucks are the other coffee shops in US, doughnut shops, and restaurants (Tata Global Beverages â€Å"Tata Starbucks readies for Indian market entry by end of October†). Starbucks is planning to expand aggressively, by adding 3500 stores round the world. It has also planned to increase the number of shops in US to 20,000 and then eventually 40,000. (Starbucks Newsroom â€Å"Tata Starbucks Limited Readies for India Market Entry by End of October†). Starbucks planned its roadmap to venture in India with Tata Global Beverages, though according to the present legal framework of the country, Starbucks could have entered India without any partner, yet the company is planning to enter into a 50-50 joint venture with TATA Group. As far as marketing strategies of Starbucks are concerned for India, the strategies that they have formulated for the US target market would not assist them to be successful in India because India is a culturally rich count ry and the people belonging to any class have strong attachment to the culture. In India coffee is preferred, but tea is preferred more than coffee. Moreover, the food offered in Starbucks in USA is completely different from the taste and preferences of Indian consumers (Knowledge Wharton Today â€Å"Starbucks Comes to India, Selling Coffee and Atmosphere†). ... Starbucks is also well-known for its high quality coffee bean, so the Indian customers would expect to receive similar high quality and tasty coffee and tea from Starbucks, but the other menus such as snacks or meals which is also sold in Starbucks stores have to be absolutely Indian or balanced combination of Indo-American dishes, as the Indian customers have varied taste and preferences and they welcome different food items and menus from different countries too (Ahmed â€Å"Starbucks Delays India Entry†). Starbucks’ step to choose TATA for entering India is a very intelligent decision because TATA as a brand has high goodwill in India. TATA is denoted as another name for India values, relationship and high quality product. Apart from this, TATA also has the experience of understanding the Indian customers better than any other company. So it can be said that two strategies would assist Starbucks to successfully enter and set business India; firstly the joint venture with Tata Group, and secondly the marketing strategies which would include understanding the Indian culture, their values, taste and preferences, and then design the menu and the ambience or culture of the coffee shop accordingly. Answer 2 First Solar Inc. is an American company which manufactures photovoltaic films or modules which is popularly known as solar panels. It is one of the largest manufacturers of solar power modules which are used to convert the sunlight into electricity. The customers of First Solar are the solar project developers, independent producers of power, and system integrators. Initially the company sold its products in Germany, Spain, Italy, France, Italy, but later it expanded its markets to China, India and also in other parts of US. The

Effects of Emissions from Unburned Hydrocarbons under Cold Start Term Paper

Effects of Emissions from Unburned Hydrocarbons under Cold Start - Term Paper Example The present research seeks to critically investigate the potential effects of emissions from unburned hydrocarbons under cold start. Emissions from unburned hydrocarbons under cold start are a serious problem in many diesel and gasoline automotive engines that is generally characterized by generation excessive extra emissions of pollutants. The problem particularly occurs in the initial few minutes of starting an engine when it still cold and has not achieved its optimal operating temperature, thereby resulting in inefficient and incomplete combustion. A cold start is common, as weather conditions in most climates will naturally be at a lower temperature than the typical operating temperatures of an engine. Additionally, extra emissions related to cold start may also occur when one ignites the engine of an abandoned or inactive vehicle for a significant amount of time (Raja and Arasu, 2014). While a number of previous studies have focused on the phenomenon of the extra emissions related to the conditions of cold start, little is known about the, magnitude of its potential effects. In the event of cold start, the engine compression is higher as the lack of heat makes ignition more difficult. Secondly the low temperatures cause engine oil to become more viscous, making it difficult to circulate. Similarly, the air becomes denser and affects the air-fuel ratio, which in turn affects the flammability of the mixture.

Alcoholic Anonymous Essay Example for Free

Alcoholic Anonymous Essay Recently, I attended an A.A. meeting, which stands for, alcoholic anonymous. The meeting I went to was located in Penfield, NY at 1601 Jackson Road, area code 14526. It was called the Yellow House. When I walked in, everyone was very welcoming and nice. Many people stared at me intensely as I entered the Yellow House. I think they thought I was a recovering alcoholic, until I explained to them later that I was there to listen and observe for a school project for my drugs and behavior class. The place was very cozy inside, had a number of chairs lined up for everyone to sit down and coffee ready to drink. I sat down in one of the chairs. A lady came up to me and handed me a coin that said â€Å"24 hours recovery†; this was before I had the chance to tell her that I was there to observe for a school project. I guess when you go to an alcoholic anonymous meeting for the first time you get awarded a 24 hour recovery coin to make you feel good and know you’re doing something good to help you recover from your alcoholic addiction. The meeting started promptly at 5:30 P.M. like it said it would. The leaders read out announcements and let everybody know if someone new has showed up. If you’re new joining alcoholics anonymous, you introduce yourself by saying your name and stating you are an alcoholic, and then everyone else in the room say â€Å"hi†¦Ã¢â‚¬  whatever your name is to make you feel welcome. Then the person can either talk more about why they came or stop talking and then another person will randomly say their name and why they are attending and so on. There was a vast majority of adults and older people in their 50s or 60s. There were a couple grandfathers, grandmothers and one or two kids my age. I sat next to a kid who was around the same age as me and I felt shocked that he would be attending this type of meeting at such a young age. As the stories from the crowd of people kept going on, I recognized everyone clapping very deliberately and diligent at everyone’s accomplishments for the most little to no importance scenarios, for instance, a man got up and said he had been sober for 90 days and everyone clapped for a really long time. I also realized everyone laughed at everything that was the least bit funny to make it feel like a warm, comfortable, atmosphere. There are meetings every night at this place in Penfield at 5:30 P.M. Each meeting has a different name every night. The meeting I went to was called a â€Å"First Step† meeting. It was for people attending the yellow house or an alcoholic anonymous meeting somewhere for the first time and admitting they are an alcoholic and that they want to get sober. When you start the program, you commit yourself to following a â€Å"12 step program† and attending 90 days of alcoholics anonymous. The first step states â€Å"We admitted we were powerless over alcohol-that our lives had become unmanageable.† And when you finish the program, you end with the last step, step number twelve, which states: â€Å"Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.† Attending the alcoholics anonymous groups around the world has changed many recovering alcoholics lives and brought stability to their mind body and soul.

the way of confucius Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Confucius is one of the most famous of the ancient Chinese philosophers. Confucius lived from 551 to 479 BC. He believed that Chinese culture had peaked during the height of the Zhou dynasty. During their reign, the Zhou rulers adhered to a set of practices referred to as the â€Å"li†, also called rites or rituals. These rites governed all aspects of Chinese culture. The rites told everything, from the way huge political ceremonies should be conducted, to what is the proper way to respond to the receiving of a gift. During Confucius’ life, the role of the Zhou kings was reduced to mere figureheads and many of the rites had been lost, forgotten, or reduced to a lesser role. Confucius decided that he was to revive the practice of the rites and show others back to the way of the â€Å"dao†, or the â€Å"way of heaven†. In an effort to accomplish this, Confucius would not only strive to strictly follow the rites himself, he would dedicate his life to teaching and spreading them to others as well. The teachings of Confucius cover a wide variety of topics, as they were meant to govern all aspects of one’s life. Some of the most important aspects of the rites taught by Confucius regard family relations, desirable traits of character, proper ways of governing, and aspects of â€Å"ren† or â€Å"true humaneness† or â€Å"humanity†. While some of his teachings are ideas specific to his time and culture, such as the proper colors to be worn by nobility, other teachings such as family relations and virtue of character are just as valuable to today’s society as it was for his own. One of the most important aspects of life for Confucius was family life and relationships. Many of his teachings are therefore related to such topics. The main points of Confucius’ teaching regarding family life have to do with filial obligations and respect among the family. He had become disheartened by the current state of family affairs as can be seen in Book 2.4 where he states â€Å"nowadays, filial is used to refer to anyone who is merely able to provide their parents with nourishment. But even dogs and horses are provided with nourishment. If you do not treat your parents with reverence, wherein lies the difference† (Ivanhoe, 5). Confucius believed that respect and reverence were the foundation of the family bonds and what separated people from the animals. Confucius believed the only cor... ...ims with the proper corresponding actions. Confucius also makes clear the distinction between a gentleman and a petty man. He gives examples such as in Book 4.16 when he states that a gentleman acts a certain way because he understands what the right thing to do is, where as a petty man acts a certain way only because it is to his advantage to do so. In Book 15.2 Confucius states that in times of hardship, such as a shortage of food or water, the gentleman remains firm and levelheaded, while the petty man becomes overwhelmed by the situation and acts improperly. He also states that in terms of everyday affairs, â€Å"the gentleman is relaxed and at ease, while the petty man is anxious and full of worry† (Ivanhoe, 23). As can be seen, Confucius was an extremely wise man. His appreciation for the past spurred the development of his teachings that have stood the test of time. While his work was intended to guide the masses of his day back to the glory that was once the Zhou dynasty, he instead managed to create a set of rites and teachings about the importance of family relations and strength of character that can be applied and appreciated as much today as they were over 2000 years ago.

What Is Cost Management Accounting Reporting Systems

Cost Accounting Reporting System deals with the process of tracking, measuring, recording and classifying the appropriate allocation of expenditure (financial and non-financial) for the determination of the cost of product or service in an organization and for the presentation of suitably arranged data for the purpose of control and guidance of management (Horngren et al, 2010). Costs are measured in terms of Direct Costs, Indirect Costs and Overhead/Absorbed Costs. Managers use cost accounting to support decision making to reduce a company's costs of products and services and improve its profitability. Management Accounting Reporting System is concerned with the process of identification, measurement, accumulation, analysis, preparation, interpretation and communication of financial and non- financial information used by managers to plan, evaluate and control within an entity and to assure appropriate use of and accountability for its resources to managers within organizations, to provide them with the basis in making informed business decisions that would allow them to be better equipped in their management and control functions thereby enhancing both customer and shareholder value (CIMA, 2010). Unlike financial accounting information, management accounting information is used within an organization typically for decision-making in varied areas like product design, production,marketing, and performance management. Management accounting systems also do not have to follow set principles and rules and is usually confidential and its access available only to a select few. Cost Accounting operates within the parameters of Management Accounting. As businesses became more complex and diversified, a more comprehensive reporting system was needed in order to help management make decisions. Modern cost accounting systems take the perspective that collecting cost information is a function of the management decisions being made. Thus it can be safely understood that Management Accounting evolved from Cost Accounting. Hence, the distinction between management accounting and cost accounting is not so well-defined and the terms are used interchangeably (Horngren et al, 2010). Management Accounting principles are also used in other accounting related functions such as Long Term Planning (LTP), budgeting and forecasting revenue and profit planning. Again, cost accounting data is used as an integral part of the process. Management Accounting Reporting Systems: Necessity & Role Value creation is the fundamental focal point for the managers in an organisation across diverse sectors (Smith, 2010). Value creation refers to both customer and shareholders. Creating customer value has been a key concern for the organizations but only in recent years have the managers come to recognize the importance of understanding the customer value – the value that a customer places on particular features of a product and satisfying customers is critical to achieving increased sales and market share and therefore to achieve the shareholder value (Smith, 2010). Shareholder value is also a key focus area for the managers and involves improving the net worth of the business for the shareholders/owners of the company. From a shareholders’/owners’ perspective, parameters like increased profits, share value and dividends are extremely important and management is charged with the responsibility of delivering on all the parameters. To enhance customer or shareholder value, managers need to understand what drives value. They have to make decisions and invest resources in the activities or aspects of their business that lead to improvements in customer and shareholder values. The effective and efficient use of resources is essential to creating value to customers and shareholders; and Management Accounting Reporting System provides the much needed critical information to assist managers to perform this role (Smith, 2010). Management Accounting System supports the organisation’s planning and implementation of strategy. The strategic planning of an organisation specifies the direction (type of businesses and markets to enter and how to compete in the market) that the organisation intends to take over the long-term to meet its objectives. Strategic planning draws on a wide range of management accounting information from costing, budgeting, performance measurement systems, as well as information from analytical studies, both external and internal to the organisation (Smith, 2010). The implementation of the strategy requires management accounting system link the long term plans to the budgeting system, to produce annual budgets that supports the2 organisation’s strategies. Performance Measurement Systems which forms a part of the management accounting system can be used to compare actual outcomes to budgets and other targets that focus on the organisation’s trategic objectives (Smith, 2010). With cut-throat competition in the market-place, well managed organisations focus their objectives and strategies on building and maintaining sources of competitive advantage. Thus Management Accounting Systems contributes to improving the organisation’s competitive advantage in terms of quality, delivery time, flexibility, innovation and cost through modern process improvement and cost management techniques. It also provides information to help manage resources, through systems for planning (e. g. budgets) and control (e. g. performance measures). Furthermore, Management Accounting System also provides estimates of the costs of the organisation’s output – goods and services, to support both the strategic and operational decision needs of managers. Cost Accounting Reporting System on a standalone basis helps the organisation in ascertaining the cost of the product, job or services. The reporting system provides detailed information about the composition of total cost for determining the selling price of the product or service under different conditions. Fully developed cost accounting system provides ready information regarding stock of raw material, work-in-progress and finished goods and also facilitates in the preparation of financial and other statements at such intervals as desired by the management. Cost accounting reporting system also helps in measuring and further increasing the efficiency of the organization (Horngren et al, 2010). This process involves a study of the processes and procedures used in manufacturing or providing goods or services to measure the efficiency of the organisation or departments and devising means of increasing the efficiency. Thus, the cost accounting information becomes the basis of formulating forward-looking operative policies. The Cost accounting information is also used to control and reduce cost and hence increasing the profits thereby increasing the customer and shareholder value (Smith, 2010). The techniques that are used for controlling cost are budgetary control and standard costing methods. The cost accounting information makes possible for the management to distinguish between profitable and unprofitable operations. Concentrating on profitable operations and eliminating non-profitable ones can maximize profit. This information also helps in eliminating wasteful expenditure of resources at various levels and will help the management in forming future course of action. Compared to other supportive reporting systems like Financial Accounting System, which provides information about the financial position and past performance of an organization on an annual or quarterly basis to investors, banks, regulators and other outside parties, Cost and Management Accounting Systems can provide information on a short and long term basis which can be past, present and future oriented and can satisfy the short and long term decision making needs of the management towards fulfilling the organizational goals (Horngren et al, 2010). The factors that contribute towards fulfilling the organizational goal of increasing profits and shareholder wealth like information for planning and controlling operations, estimates of cost of producing goods and services efficiently; and information for measuring performance can also be provided by Management Accounting Systems. Financial Accounting Reports has to follow very strict guidelines and protocol in its compilation and final presentation form. These norms and guidelines are internationally accepted and implemented while Management Accounting reports are for internal use of management for decision making and may not be completely objective and verifiable but is relevant to the issue at hand (Horngren et al, 2010). Moreover, Financial Accounting reports on the business or company in its entirety, i. e. Financial Accounting reports show the overall picture of a businesses financial position for a certain reporting period and are not concerned with any particular department of the organisation while Management Accounting reports’ primary emphasis is on segment reporting (Smith, 2010). It deals with the various segments like product lines, departments or any other categorization of the company’s activities that management finds useful and is not governed by generally accepted accounting principles. Conclusion In a nutshell, there is a tremendous necessity for management and cost accounting reporting systems in an organisation, not only for achieving the predetermined goals and remain profitable, but also to create value to both customers and shareholders. Since the complexities of running an organisation has increased due to complicated market systems and increased competition, there is a need for the management accounting reporting system to be brought under a common control framework for the effective function of the system and helping the organisation to proactively reduce cost and bring profitability.

The Psycho of Wall Street Diagnosing Patrick Bateman in...

Fifty years ago, a person breaking the law would either be called crazy or a criminal. Today, the mental health community has much more specific diagnoses. However, the explanation of certain behaviors may be difficult because there is much overlap among mental conditions. In Bret Easton Ellis’ American Psycho, the protagonist, Patrick Bateman, is apparently simply a psychopath. However, Bateman can be diagnosed with other mental illnesses such as Asperger’s syndrome, obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, narcissism, and antisocial personality disorder. In both the book and film adaptation, Bateman’s actions can be understood more accurately when analyzed in light of modern psychology. Asperger’s syndrome is one of the mental†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"In ‘Old Antone’s’ one can catch the zydeco influences that the band has picked up†¦it gives it a Cajun flavor that is utterly unique,† says Bateman speaking about a Huey Lewis song (Ellis 336). He repeats such conversations before killing different victims in his apartment. This recurring routine before his murders is another symptom of Asperger’s syndrome. Also having to do with Bateman’s obsession with some musical albums and their history, the mere fact that Bateman has these obsessions is another symptom of Asperger’s syndrome. â€Å"People with Asperger’s develop intense interests and obsessions in things such as music and history or schedules of sports teams† (What is Aspergers Syndrome? Symptoms, tests, Causes, Treatments. WebMD). Bateman’s interest in some bands and artists is far beyond that of a normal fan. His deep analysis of musicians shows that he has an intense obsession with music history that someone with Asperger’s syndrome would have. Not only do individuals with Asperger’s become obsessed with a certain thing, but they also have a generally limited range of interests. Bateman does not show such interest with anything else as he does with music history and analysis. Aside from routines and rituals, another essential symptom in Asperger’s is poor or nonexistent social skills. People with Asperger’s syndrome have difficulty during conversation and are awkward when starting conversation (What is Aspergers Syndrome?