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Accounting Basics Textbook

A free, self-paced textbook in 7 chapters. Read a chapter, then drill it with the 170 companion flashcards using spaced repetition.

7 chapters · 170 cards · Updated

Chapters

  1. 1Foundations of Accounting

    Accounting is the process of recording, summarizing, analyzing, and reporting the financial transactions of a business so that useful information becomes available for decision-mak...

  2. 2The Accounting Equation and Its Elements

    At the heart of every accounting system lies the fundamental equation, Assets = Liabilities + Owner's Equity. This equation expresses the basic truth that every resource a business...

  3. 3Recording Transactions and the Accounting Cycle

    Every accounting system uses double-entry bookkeeping, recording each transaction with equal debits and credits so that the accounting equation always stays in balance. A debit is...

  4. 4Accounting Principles and Financial Statements

    Financial reporting rests on a set of foundational principles and assumptions. The going concern assumption presumes that a business will continue operating indefinitely, which jus...

  5. 5Assets, Depreciation, and Inventory

    Assets are the building blocks of the balance sheet, but their costs are usually allocated over time. When a cost will provide a future benefit lasting more than one period, accoun...

  6. 6Financial Analysis and Ratios

    Financial statements become truly useful when their numbers are compared and interpreted through ratios. Liquidity ratios measure a company's ability to meet short-term obligations...

  7. 7Advanced Topics in Accounting

    Managerial accounting serves internal decision-makers with non-GAAP tools. The contribution margin is sales minus variable expenses, showing the amount available to cover fixed cos...

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