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TRIAL BALANCE MEANING OF A TRIAL BALANCE A trial balance is a list of debit and credit balances extracted from the ledger. The trial balance shows the arithmetical accuracy of ledger entries. Double entry book keeping requires that the totals of the debit column and that of the credit column of the trial balance agree. Where the two sides of a trial balance do not agree, this suggests the presence of one or more errors in the ledger. However, the agreement of a trial balance does not necessarily mean that the accounts are without error as there are some errors that can occur but would not affect the agreement of a trial balance. USES OF A TRIAL BALANCE The trial balance is used to show the arithmetical accuracy of postings made in the ledger The trial balance shows the summarized form of the balances of accounts in the general ledger at a glance It helps in the preparation of trading account, profit and loss account and the balance sheet. FORMAT OF A TRIAL BALANCE Lucy Enterprises Trial Balance As At 31st December, 2002 Particulars Folio DR CR ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- N N ILLUSTRATION 1 Prepare a trial balance from the following accounts: Creditors. N2784, bank overdraft N1980 and Purchases N4764 SOLUTION TRIAL BALANCE AS AT ………………….. DR CR N N Creditors ---------------------------- 2784 Bank Overdraft----------------------- 1980 Purchases ----------------------------- 4764 ------- -------- 4764 4764 ILLUSTRATION 2 Prepare a trial balance from the ledger account balances: Capital N1,000, Creditors N100, Purchases N4764, Sales N5194, Stocks N480, Debtors N100 and Cash N950 SOLUTION TRIAL BALANCE AS AT …………………. DR CR N N Capital-------------------------------- 1000 Creditor--------------------------------------- 100 Sales --------------------------------------- 5194 Purchases -------------------------------- 4764 Stocks-------------------------------- 480 Debtors ----------------------------------- 100 Cash in hand ----------------------------- 950 ------- -------- 6294 6294 . See also THE CLERICAL STAFF THE OFFICE RIGHT ATTITUDE TO WORK INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS STUDIES SIMPLE TABULATION