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Comparability is a characteristic which adds to the usefulness of financial statements. Required: (a) Explain what is meant by the term „comparability? in financial statements, referring to two...

      

Comparability is a characteristic which adds to the usefulness of financial statements.
Required:
(a) Explain what is meant by the term „comparability‟ in financial statements,
referring to two types of comparison that users of financial statements may make.
(b) Explain two ways in which the IAS (International Accounting Standards) aids the
comparability of financial information.

  

Answers


Mutiso
Comparability means that users are able to draw conclusions about the performance or
financial position of a business by relating figures for a particular period to other
relevant figures. Possible types of comparison are:
(i). comparison with figures for the same business for earlier periods
(ii). comparison with figures for other businesses for the same period
(iii). comparison with budgets or forecasts
(Two types required for full marks)
(b) Two from:
(i). by requiring the disclosure of accounting policies and the effect of changes in them
(ii). by reducing or eliminating the number of possible alternative treatments for
similar items available to businesses
(iii). by requiring businesses to treat similar items in the same way within each
period and from one period to the next, unless a change is required to comply with accounting standards or to ensure that a more appropriate presentation of events or transactions is provided.
Mutiso answered the question on November 24, 2018 at 06:22


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