Managerial Accounting 505 Case Study Week 3

Grade 45/50 Managerial Accounting 505 Case Study Week 3 A. What is the break-even point in passengers and revenues per month? Total Per UnitPercent Sales: 160 X 90 $14,400$ 160100% Less variable costs/expenses: . 70 X 90 $ 6,300 $7044% Contribution margin: $ 8,100$9056% Less fixed costs/expense: $3,150,000 Net operating income: $3,141,900 8,100 /14,400 = 56% 100 – 56 = 44% BEP in passengers (fixed costs / contribution margin) 3,150,000 / 90 = 35,000 passengers BEP in dollars (passenger per month X selling price) 35,000 X 160 = 5,600,000 B.What is the break-even point in number of passenger train cars per month? # of seats per passenger train cars X Average load factor BEP in passenger’s car per month 35,000/ (90x. 70) 35,000/ 63 = 556 passenger train per month C. If Springfield Express raises its average passenger fare to $190, it is estimated that the average load factor will decrease to 60%. What will be the monthly break-even point in number of passenger cars? Total Per UnitPercent Selling Price $17,100$190100 Less variable costs/expense$6,300$70 37 Contribution margin$10,800$12063 BEP in passengers (fixed cost / unit cm ) 3,150,000 / 120 = 26,250BEP in passengers per month in dollars (fixed costs / cm ratio) 3,150,000 / . 63 = 5,000,000 # of seats per passenger train cars X Average load factor 90 X . 60 = 54 BEP # of passengers cars 26,250 / (90 X . 60) 54 = 486 passengers train cars per month D. Refer to original data. ) Fuel cost is a significant variable cost to any railway. If crude oil increases by $ 20 per barrel, it is estimated that variable cost per passenger will rise to $ 90. What will be the new break-even point in passengers and in number of passenger train cars? BEP in passengers Fixed operating cost /contribution margin 3,150,000/ 70 = 45,000 passengers per month BEP # of passengers per car 90x. 70 = 63 passenger per car Passengers per month/passenger train cars 45,000/63= 714 passenger train cars per month E. Springfield Expres s has experienced an increase in variable cost per passenger to $ 85 and an increase in total fixed cost to $ 3,600,000. The company has decided to raise the average fare to $ 205. If the tax rate is 30 percent, how many passengers per month are needed to generate an after-tax profit of $ 750,000? Before tax profit = after-tax profit /100%-tax rate % 750,000/(1. 00-. 30)= $1,071,429Before tax profit + fixed cost/New contribution margin $,1,071,429 + $3,600,000/($205-$85) = $4,671,429/$120 = 38928. 56 or 38,929 passenger per month. F. (Use original data). Springfield Express is considering offering a discounted fare of $ 120, which the company believes would increase the load factor to 80 percent. Only the additional seats would be sold at the discounted fare. Additional monthly advertising cost would be $ 180,000. How much pre-tax income would the discounted fare provide Springfield Express if the company has 50 passenger train cars per day, 30 days per month?Revenue= 90 x (. 80-. 7 0) x 120 x 50 x 30 + $180,000 = $1,800,000 Variable cost= $70 x ($1,800,000/discount fare ($120) = 1,050,000 Additional monthly advertising cost = $180,000 Revenue†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦$1,800,000 Less Variable cost†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦($1,050,000) Contribution Margin†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ $750,000 Less Advertising cost†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ ($180,000) Pretax income discount fare provide†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. $570,000 f# of discounted seats = 90 X . 0 = 9 seats Contribution margin for discounted fares = $ 120 – $ 70 = $ 50 X 9 discounted seats = $450 each train X 50 train cars per day X 30 days per month= $ 675,000 minus $ 180,000 additional fixed costs = $ 495,000 pretax income. G. Springfield Express has an opportunity to obtain a new route that would be traveled 20 times per month. The company believes it can sell seats at $ 175 on the route, but the load factor would be only 60 percent. Fixed cost would increase by $ 250,000 per month for additional personnel, additional passenger train cars, maintenance, and so on.Variable cost per passenger would remain at $ 70. 1. Should the company obtain the route? Revenue= 90 x (. 6) X $175Ãâ€"20= $189,000 Variable cost= $70 x ($189,000/ fare ($175) = $75,600 Additional monthly Fixed cost = $250,000 Revenue†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦$189,000 Less Variable cost†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦($75,600) Contribution Margin†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ $113,400 Less Fixed cost†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. ($250,000) Pretax income loss†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. $136,000) The company should not go for the new route because they will lose money because the Total Additional Contribution Margin is not > Additional Fixed Costs 2. How many passenger train cars must Springfield Express operate to earn pre-tax income of $ 120,000 per month on this route? Before tax profit + fixed cost/Contribution margin $120,000+$250,000 / ($175-$70) = 3,523. 81 or 3524 # of seats per passenger train cars X Average load factor 90 X . 0 = 54 Passengers per month/passenger train cars 3524/54 = 65. 25 or 65 passenger train cars needed 3. If the load factor could be increased to 75 percent, how many passenger train cars must be operated to earn pre-tax income of $ 120,000 per month on this route? Before tax profit + fixed cost/Contribution margin $120,000+$250,000/($175-$70) = 3,523. 81 or 3524 # of seats per passenger train cars X Average load factor 90 X . 5 = 67. 50 Passengers per month/passenger train cars 3524/67. 50 = 52. 20 or 52 passenger train cars needed 4. What qualitative factors should be considered by Springfield Express in making its decision about acquiring this route? If fixed cost increased to $500,000 Fixed cost (25,000 X 2) = $500,000 = fixed cost + required profit)/contribution margin per seat = (500000 + 120000) / 61 = 62,0000 / 61 = 10164 SeatsSeat price average (131*10164) 1331484 Variable cost (70*10164) 711480 Contribution 620004 Fixed c ost 500000 Income Fixed cost variable cost, contribution margin income loading factors should be considered before taking decision. 4. Springfield should consider such things as †¢Connections to other Springfield trains that might be made by these passengers. †¢Long-range potential for increased load factors †¢Increased customer goodwill in this new market †¢Increased employment opportunities for labor in the area †¢Competition in the market. 120004

Creating a server (Linux)

For this kind of scenario, I would have to create a server from scratch so I can be able to identify any types of vulnerabilities on any of these server requirements stated below. Any of these can be at risk at any time, so creating a new server from scratch would be most recommended. Because it is kind of safer than Windows because most viruses and worms are written for Windows but it doesn’t mean Linux can be attacked.Server Requirements:A Web ServerA database serverA Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) serverA file server customers’ loan applications and other personal data files First of all, since Linux is mostly an open-source type of software running server, it is very vulnerable to any kinds of attacks, or as Linux calls them, crackers. Many malicious attacks on Linux and related applications will also grow. The Web Server isn’t much of a risk because but it is still an important software that can have a high risk of being attacked because it’s kn own as an open-source, so having any personal information stored inside it, can be at risk of being exposed to a cracker (hacker).The Database Server is a very high risk of vulnerabilities because this is where important data and files are being stored in. Again, this is still an open-source software so protecting this kind of software is important to the company. A Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) and a file server for customers’ loan applications and other personal data files are a must protect! These are open-sources too, so basically all of these server requirements are open source, no surprise. But protecting all these will require a lot of attention especially the SMTP, file server for customers’ and the database server. Here are some steps/tools that you can use to stop any kinds of attacks upon these servers: Identify any risks/vulnerabilities these servers have:Open portsNessusOpenSSH/PuTTY/SSHBurp SuiteThere’s more of these but these are the basics of protecting your Linux system from attacks. Follow these steps and you’ll be able to have any risks on your Linux systems.

Review of health news article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Review of health news article - Essay Example This article is very relevant to our course for many reasons. One, it is not enough that we gain sound knowledge of diseases and finding ways to cure them; moreover, we must see how these diseases afflict the mindset of society. Although media has its own noble intentions to inform the public, it must not declare ahead before public health officials have properly disseminated such information. Dr. Colfax was valid in his argument that protocols should not change in treating people with AIDS. It can be inferred from his statement that medical professionals have different attitudes in treatment especially when resistance has developed. For one, training for doctors and other health professionals are not yet adequately prepared by the government for this kind of scenario. Assuming it becomes a mini-epidemic, government officials would start blaming those responsible for this issue while patients suffer in the midst of the controversy. In short, the government’s health agency should immediately prepare programs that can arrest the growing problem. Training and funding must be given importance so that the situation would not go out of hand. Although training and research does not seem much of a concern to America, we cannot deny the financial burden this problem can add to the growing health insurance concerns. Indeed, the AIDS problem has become complicated. The article also noted that this kind of situation is a challenge for developing countries which is an obvious statement. However, we must realize that many migrants from developing countries have also settled in this country. In fact, San Francisco has a high rate of migrant population which makes their problem our problem too. Lastly, I am hopeful that advances in the field of research would be able to arrest this problem. The only unfortunate thing is the affordability of these new drugs so that poor people with drug-resistant strain of AIDS would be able to access medication

Branding for Mental Real Estate Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Branding for Mental Real Estate - Essay Example In the modern world, art and advertisements seem to have the same purpose, i.e. to motivate and move people towards some form of action (Lee, 2000). In this respect advertising may be a more difficult art form than painting or sculpture since it might be far easier for people to give off an emotion which costs them nothing rather than loosen their purse strings and spend money on something which they might even not need at all. Given the times we live in, even things like the GUI (Graphical User Interface) design of a computer or the layout and graphics used on a website could indeed by accepted as a valid form of art (Brierley, 2002). Fundamentally, both art and advertisements today are all about the money and the amount of sales they can generate for a company. Few industries have seen the drama, romance and emotion at the level of the computer industry. From the earliest government sponsored projects to produce computers based on vacuum tubes to today’s multi-core systems, the saga of computer technology has seen major players ousted and minor players become leaders. While many companies have come and gone over the past 40 years, Apple Computer comes across as one of the companies which has stood the test of time and has managed to turn out convincing products that have given it an image of innovation and being a radical organization (Elliott, 1998). Apple is an American company and one of the front runners amongst computer hardware, software and allied equipment manufacturers. The company prides itself on creating innovative products for the consumer electronics and technology sectors.

Quiz Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 14

Quiz - Essay Example With successful implementation, the company could have saved $40M annually (Milton). However, the project was halted in December 2013 with a write off of between $100M to $125M. Avon made a filling in early December 2013 to stop the project. The company sought to stop the project that was rolled out in Canada due to significant market and business disruptions. According to the filing made by the company, the system did not show any clear returns on investments and that the decision to abandon the project was based on the potential risks of further business disruptions (Milton). One of the most successful project in ERP projects of all time is the aluminum company ERP project (Acloa). The company that was started in 1881 embarked on an automation project in 2001. The company contracted Oracle to install and manage and ERP system for their operations in the company and its branches (Micheau 17). With such a big company with branches all over the world, the project was complex and demanding but Oracle managed to pull it off. The project is considered successful because the implementation was able to address all the critical areas of the company’s operations. These are mainly inventory, sales, production and human resource modules of the company. Currently, the company uses ERP system in all its operations including sales management, inventory management, production line management, sales management, and human resource management (Micheau

The Future of Healthcare Information Systems Coursework

The Future of Healthcare Information Systems - Coursework Example Some of the required skills include the web and computer technology. Additionally, they need the managerial and organizational leadership and competencies needed for the changes in the operational roles and methods. It had become important to comprehend the functional capabilities of technologies that are associated with e-health, health records, and also telecare (Bashshur, 2013). In standardization the automation process and services will not be feasible in the absence of data standards that enables communication through the internet oriented programs and languages. Some of the core limitation in setting up the standards concern the substandard definition of deliverables. The health sector will fail in determining the objective and the functionalities that are desired for the health application and their conflicts to define the minimum sets of data for clinical and operational management of e-health. The implementations and standard development is a slow process and tends to need a lot of regulatory actions (Bashshur,

Analyse the impact of factors that influence health and Essay

Analyse the impact of factors that influence health and well-being.(Health and Behaviour) - Essay Example Education serves as the most effective platform to not only empower people but also to introduce changes so that children can meet new challenges of the time with higher efficiency and adaptability. This is especially true for people with disability who have to face multiple barriers in the mainstream schools which are distinct in their lack of facilitating environment and insensitive approach to their needs and requirements. The various barriers to their inclusion in the mainstream schools necessitate social support and wider awareness of their needs and requirements that promotes or hinders their participation in the mainstream activities. Carrington & Holm, (2005) assert that in Australia inclusive education has evolved from the notion of integrating students with disabilities into regular schools. The paper would be discussing the myriad practices within the social support that may be adversely impacting the successful inclusion of children with disability into the mainstream Aus tralian education system. Health and environment have emerged as major social issues that are significantly impacted by the social parameters (hhb, 2011). WHO (2005) has broadly defined health as not merely being absence of disease or infirmity but a complete physical, mental and social well-being. Thus, holistic aspect of health becomes an important issue which incorporates the environment paradigms that influence the overall well-being of the individual. Key & Dowrick, (2001) claim that people with disability have always been marginalized in every sphere of life including education, employment and community living. The discrimination has adversely impacted not only their participation in the mainstream life but it has also been detrimental to their development as an individual. Thus the social model of disability has emerged as vital input that redefined disability in terms of facilitating environment that promotes their

Current Recession Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Current Recession - Essay Example Most of the countries depend on the resources and facilities from other neighboring countries. But this downfall has stopped exchange among the continents. Recession has created an impact on the banking sector, financial institutions and other credit related industries. Recession has occurred in the past also, but was not so severe like the present recession. The financial crisis started in America and then prevailed to the other countries. This in turn affected the development in all the countries. Though the previous recessions has incurred loss and lead to unemployment, this time it has been more than the previous recession. There is a dramatic increase in the unemployment rate and this has lead to the increase in debts. Financial stability has gone down which left many companies at a sad state. Financial policies should suit the current recession and must help in improving the financial crisis. Government has taken measures to improve the financial situation.(Nigam 2009). As the financial industries were the worst hit by recession, the companies which were depending on those financial services went down immediately. Economic depression has been prevailing from the downfall and it is still in the improvement state. Although most of the financial concerns tried to overcome the During this recession, many new policies and strategies were introduced by the government to improve the situation of the industries as well as the economy. Established concerns and the ones with a better financial background only survive the recession. Other small and financially not so strong companies had to wind up their business.(Burgan 2002). As they could not bear the recession and its effects, many people were pushed out of their job. Out of the various policies, only some could help in improving the current situation. One among them is Keynesian policy, which mainly concentrated on the economic status. Keynes introduced a system which had a simple and basic strategy.

Smoking Tobacco Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Smoking Tobacco - Essay Example Furthermore, the research paper intends to discuss on the adverse effects of tobacco smoking to the body and the various measures that would help on how to discourage smoking: information drive on the diseases that can be acquired from smoking tobacco, the government intervention to lower down the number of cases of teenage smoking, and policies that would help reduce the consumption of tobacco products among others. Teenage smoking in the UAE is constantly alarming the government with more teens engaging into tobacco smoking. A recent report divulges that one out of five teenage boys in UAE smokes (Bell n.p.). Basically, this number is high posing 20% rate on the teenage smoking case in the country. The researcher contemplates on the potential reasons that contribute to the easy access that allows teenage boys to smoke. If the level of accessibility can be lowered down to an extent that their consumption of tobacco products can be controlled, then the numbers would obviously go down. In a recent article written by Jennifer Bell for The National, she wrote that experts consider the cheap price of tobacco products and inadequate education about the health risks associated with tobacco smoking as main causes for the increasing number of teenagers engaging into tobacco smoking. This paper seeks to contribute to the ongoing discussion of this topic by posing questions that are significantly relevant to the causes of teenage smoking: can changes in policies concerning the distribution of tobacco products help in reducing the number of teenagers engaging in tobacco smoking? How do we ensure that teenage kids are well-educated about the adverse effects of tobacco smoking to their health? The target audiences of this research are the government and the teenage smokers. First, the government because they have to initiate ways on how to lower down cases of teenage smoking; second, teenagers

How can insurance be used to decrease healthcare costs and increase Essay

How can insurance be used to decrease healthcare costs and increase quality of care - Essay Example The quality of the treatment is another problem that needs consideration. Most of the uninsured and low-income groups are not in a position to get good quality healthcare. The present essay is intended to study a brief history of healthcare industry and to analyze problems and reasons for the high costs associated. The proposals that are put forward for the reformation of current state of healthcare system also would be analyzed so as to reach a conclusion on the best strategy to be adopted so as to decrease the costs of healthcare and to increase the quality of the healthcare. The health insurance plans began in United States of America during the civil war that took place during 1861 to 1865 (Murray, 2007). At that time only accidents that was caused during transport and that too through either rail or steamboat had any coverage for insurance. Since then more and more plans, which provided coverage for most of the illness were added and in the year 1847, Massachusetts Health Insurance of Boston offered the first group policy with a lot of benefits. Individual disability and illness policies were issued by 1890. Arguments or cry for modern group health insurance plan was started in United States only in 1920s and by that time it was far behind many of the European countries. But there was no political pressure for such a law. Reformers started to ask the cost of medical care instead of wages lost due to sickness mainly because the former was much higher than the latter in as early as 1920s. During this period itself the health care available to poor people in the country was quite inadequate. The first company to offer health insurance coverage for all its employees was General Motors (Murray, 2007). The depression that gulped the country in 1930's resulted in more insurance coverage for unemployed and aged people. There was no priority for healthcare insurance at that time. Blue cross, which is a non-profit organization, began to offer health insurance in a number of states during this period. In Blues every one irrespective of age or sex or their disease conditions were charged the same premium. Since the Blues were created by hospitals, potential patients were encouraged to sign up (Noah, 2007). It was in 1940's that the present practice of employer-based system of health insurance was first offered (Noah, 2007). This was in an effort to combat the wage and price controls during the Second World War. The labor unions urged for better benefits and tax-free employer sponsored health insurance. The employers had to attract their employees and so they offered whatever that was asked for. Prepaid group healthcare was started at this time. President Truman was a proponent of national health program plan in which the government would be the payer of the whole of the American society. At that time it was opposed by American Medical Association and the law or bill could

Christopher Columbus Essay Example for Free

Christopher Columbus Essay From the date of his birth to the amount of schooling he received as a child, to the final resting place of his remains historians are simply not sure. It is even claimed that he was, at the age of 21 a privateer. â€Å"Columbus’s son Ferdinand stated in History of the Life and Deeds of Christopher Columbus that in 1472 Columbus was given command of a ship on a privateering expedition to Tunis in northern Africa. In a lost letter, Columbus supposedly related to his son how Rene I, duke of the French province of Anjou, had commissioned Columbus to make a surprise attack on a large Spanish ship sailing off the coast of North Africa. 4 However Ferdinand’s claim is the only proof available and the claim is largely believed to be false. There is a lot of information that is well known, and well documented. Christopher Columbus completed four sea voyages. Starting with his most famous in 1492 and ending in 1506. Although he took to the sea at the age of 14 he was not commissioned to his own ship until much later. At the age of 41 he made his historic voyage to the new world. Although Columbus is given credit for discovering America it was not named for him, it was named after Amerigo Vespucci. The name America was given to the Western Hemisphere by European writers and mapmakers after Columbuss death. Nothing in their experiences had led the first explorers to realize that they had come into contact with a vast and unrecorded continent, many times the size of Europe. Previously there had been no accounts, or even rumors, of the unknown peoples of this new continent in European scholarly literature and discus sion or in popular chronicles. † 5 If Christopher Columbus had one true purpose, it was not to find the new land or even riches for King Ferdinand V and Queen Isabella I. His true calling which led him to the sea was to travel to the East by going west. He wanted to find a direct trade route to Asia, and to explore the region discovered by Marco Polo. His obsession to find this region was so intense it actually led him to believe that Cuba was part of Asia. In an ironic twist of fate, the closest Columbus would ever come to reaching Asia was on one of his earliest voyages. In 1474 Columbus, hired on as a sailor, set off for Khios, an island in the Aegean, this was to be the first long voyage Columbus would ever take and the closest he ever came to Asia. Columbus spent a year on this island and was able to become economically independent from his family. 7 To truly understand why someone would be obsessed with finding a direct trade route to Asia, you must understand why this was necessary. â€Å"The event that had the most far reaching effects on Europe in the 15th Century was the fall of the city of Constantinople (modern Istanbul, Turkey) to the Mu slim Ottoman Empire. Constantinople had been the capital of the Orthodox Christian Byzantine Empire for centuries, and it was an important center for trade between Europe and Asia. In 1453 the Ottoman Empire, which had already conquered much of southeastern Europe, captured the city, closing an important trade route from Europe to the east. European merchants could still buy Asian goods from Muslims in places such as Alexandria, Egypt. However, Europeans longed for a sea route to Asia that would allow them to bypass the Muslims and purchase Asian products directly. In addition, European princes and kings quickly realized that the first nation to find such a route could become very wealthy by monopolizing the highly profitable Asian trade. 8 Although Columbus never found that direct route to Asia, he did find recognition and wealth from his travels. â€Å"The widely published report of his voyage of 1492 made Columbus famous throughout Europe and secured for him the title of Admiral of the Ocean Sea and further royal patronage. † 9 Christopher Columbus was also a family man. He had two sons; his first was with wife â€Å"Felipe Perestrello e Moniz, the d aughter of a well respected, though relatively poor, noble family. † 10 They had a son Diego in 1480 or 1481, historic records are unsure of the exact date. Felipe died shortly after. Diego was boarded in a Spanish Monastery were Columbus found great support for his voyages in the monks who lived there. They introduced him to nobility, share ancient maps and vital information about sea currents and the size of the oceans themselves, and for a short time he was â€Å"maintained at the expense of the queen. † 11 His second son Fernando was born out of wedlock to a young peasant woman named Beatriz Enriquez de Arana, in 1488. Beatriz is believed to be the great love of Columbus’ life and his love for her helped him through the toughest portions of his life as he awaited the end of the war to take Granada. Christopher Columbus was an entrepreneur, as well as an opportunist; on his second voyage he carried with him African slaves to the new world. 12 Columbus also claimed a dowry offered to the first person to see land on his maiden voyage. During his first voyage, on October 12, 1492 a lookout spotted land a couple hours after midnight from the crow’s nest of the Pinta. The lookout’s name was Rodrigo de Triana for his sighting; he should have received a pension of 10,000 Maravedis per year. That was roughly what an able sailor could make in a year at the time, however Columbus pocketed the money himself, claiming he saw lights the night before. 13 This however would not be a onetime occurrence, in 1491 Columbus made a final appeal to Spanish Monarchs but his plan was rejected. In the past his plan was rejected for technical reasons, such as his assessment of the size of the ocean, it was believed to be too large to cross or the distances and measurements that Columbus came up with were not accurate. This time, the request was denied due to simple greed. â€Å"Columbus had asked for one tenth of all the riches in the indies, and his demands for the titles of admiral, which would give him the right to judge commercial disputes; of viceroy, which would make him the personal representative of the monarchs; and of governor, which would enable him to act as supreme civil and military authority in any new lands he discovered. † 14 However, â€Å"Columbus had successfully won over many of the learned scholars and scientific advisers, nd Ferdinand’s treasurer, Luis de Santangel, interceded on Columbus’s behalf. Arguing that the investment was small considering the potential reward, Santangel convinced the king and queen to reverse their decision. A court official was dispatched on horseback to bring Columbus back. After several more weeks of negotiating a contract, in April 1492 Columbus left for Palos de la Frontera and his rendezvous with history. † 15 On Au gust 3, 1492 Columbus sets off for the Canary Islands with his three ships, the Nina, Pinta and the Santa Maria. The Canary Islands were a necessary stop over for two reasons, first the rudder of the Nina needed repair and secondly Columbus had studied the swift moving currents that were found off the Canary Islands. 16 September 6, 1492 the armada left the Canary Islands via those swift currents in search of a direct route to Asia, what he found instead would change mankind forever. Columbus’ second voyage was his largest in size. In his first voyage Columbus had three ships, but in his second he had 17 ships. This time he was taking provisions to set up colonies as well as soldiers and livestock designed to stay on the island and establish colonies. His first voyage consisted only of enough provision and personnel for a year long voyage based on exploration and discovery. In September 1493 the fleet sets off from Cadiz, Spain for the Canary Islands. Once again utilizing the swift currents of the Canary Islands, the fleet reaches Hispaniola in November 1493, an island Columbus discovered in his previous voyage. Columbus’ third voyage leaves Sanlucar, Spain with six ships on May 30, 1493. For the first and only time Columbus purposely splits his ships and sends half his fleet to Hispaniola and takes the other half on a more southerly route to the Cape Verde Island. In August 1498 Columbus returns to Hispaniola and assumes the role of governor. HE resides as governor for two years before he is arrested for misadministration, and was arrested, bound in chains and returned to Spain. Columbus, in an act of defiance refused to have his chains removed until the monarch gave the orders to do so. 17 â€Å"On December 17, 1500, Columbus went before the royal court. The king and queen instructed that whatever items were taken from Columbus at his arrest be restored to him. The monarchs would not reinstate Columbus’s titles, however. This was, however, neither victory nor vindication for Columbus. With his titles annulled, the former governor spent the next two years in despair and humiliation. † 18 Columbus had another chance to win back his good name, and on his fourth voyage in May of 1502, he would leave Cadiz, Spain with four ships. 19 In June of 1503 Columbus’ ship is marooned and beach on the island of Jamaica. It suffers a severe case of sea worms and is no longer sea worthy. The crew is spends a year on island and in November 1504 Columbus heads back to Spain. On May 20, 1506 Columbus dies in Valladolid, Spain. 20 â€Å"both of his sons, his brother Bartholomew, and his faithful friend Diego Mendez were at his side when the admiral murmured â€Å"Into thy hands, O Lord, I commit my spirit† and passed away. His body was buried initially in Valladolid, but in 1509 his son Diego transferred the remains to the monastery of Las Cuevas in Sevilla. The current location of Columbus’s remains is still debated. They were moved to the Americas in the middle of the 16th century, first to Santo Domingo and then, in 1795, to Havana, Cuba. Then his remains supposedly traveled back to Spain in 1899 where, it is claimed, they are interred in the Cathedral of Sevilla. † 21 So in death, as in life, Christopher Columbus is a noble man, and spirit, and a true explorer, entrepreneur and mystery. Although his accomplishments have recently been criticized by modern historians as untrue, making claims that the Vikings discovered America long before Columbus, the credit still goes to Christopher Columbus.