Accelerated depreciation methods such as the double-declining balance methods are preferable when assets have shorter useful lives, and in industries where rapid obsolescence is the norm.

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Accelerated depreciation methods such as double-declining balance methods result in higher depreciation expense in earlier years and lower in later years, which is more appropriate for assets with shorter useful lives or in industries where obsolescence occurs quickly. This is because accelerated depreciation methods allocate a greater proportion of the cost of the asset to early years, reflecting the higher wear and tear or technological advances that make the asset's usefulness decline faster. In contrast, straight-line depreciation methods allocate an equal amount of depreciation expense over the asset's estimated useful life, regardless of its decline in value.

Accelerated Depreciation Methods Such as the Double-Declining Balance Methods Are