Morton Company’s manufacturing costs for 2012 were as follows:
  Direct materials                         $300,000
  Direct manufacturing labor         400,000
  Factory overhead:
  Variable                             80,000
  Fixed                                 50,000
  Prime costs totaled
  A. $700,000
  B. $300,000
  C. $380,000
  D. $830,000
  Answer:A
  A is corrent because by definition prime costs are equal to direct materials plus direct manufacturing labor. Thus, prime costs are $700,000 ($300,000 DM + $400,000 DML).