3.5 Operating conventions are classified into five as indicated below:
3.5.1 Historical cost Convention (HCC): Forms the basis of valuation used in the preparation of published
financial statements. That is, all assets are shown in the accounts at the cost of acquisition. The word 'cost', said
Horngren and George, (1990), is intricate, complex and confusing. This is because cost may mean different
things to different people at different time, place and event. They assert that cost is intricate when referred to as
expired or futuristic, production cost or period cost, direct or indirect cost. It is complex when referred to as
variable cost, fixed cost, semi variable cost, semi fixed cost, marginal cost, absorption cost, sunk cost,
conversion cost and opportunity cost. Confusion may arise when certain cost attributes are not or are to be
capitalized for purpose of assets valuation. They added that if asset was acquired under a given scenario, two
different accountants may arrive at different value judgment about the asset as follows: (Pyle et al, 1988)