Answers:
According to the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, London, a cost centre is“a location, person, or item of equipment (or a group of these) for which costs may be ascertained and used for the purpose of cost control.”

In simple words, a cost centre can be defined as a machine, a department, a person, or a group of persons for which the cost is ascertained. A cost centre helps in controlling cost by artificially dividing and sub-dividing the organization into different units for costing. For example, in a laundry, different activities, such as collecting, sorting, marking and washing, are considered as separate cost centres, and costs associated with these activities are controlled and monitored separately.