Which financial statement is used to determine a company’s income and expenses for a specific...

The correct answer is D. Income statement . The income statement reports a company’s revenues and expenses over a specific period of time and shows whether the company earned a profit or incurred a loss during that period. Standard accounting materials explain that the income statement summarizes revenue and expense activity and presents net income or net loss for the reporting period.

Option A, the balance sheet , is incorrect because it shows financial position at a particular date rather than performance over a period. Option B, the statement of retained earnings , explains changes in retained earnings, including the effects of net income and dividends, but it does not serve as the main report for listing revenues and expenses. Option C, the statement of cash flows , focuses on cash inflows and outflows from operating, investing, and financing activities rather than accrual-based income and expense measurement. In accounting, when the question asks which statement is used to determine income and expenses for a period, the income statement is the direct and correct answer. That is why Option D is the best answer.