The purpose of the trading account is to ascertain
Answer Details
The purpose of the trading account is to ascertain the gross profit earned or loss incurred by a business during a specific accounting period. The trading account takes into account the cost of goods sold (opening stock + purchases - closing stock) and the revenue earned from sales. The difference between the cost of goods sold and revenue earned gives the gross profit or loss. Therefore, the trading account is used to determine the profitability of a business's core operations, which is the buying and selling of goods or services. It does not include any other expenses such as distribution expenses or carriage outwards, which are accounted for in separate accounts.