=39.= In double entry bookkeeping, the accounts used may be divided into the two general classes of _personal_ and _impersonal_. For the purpose of more complete classification, the second class is further subdivided into _real_, _representative_, and _nominal_ accounts. =40. Personal Accounts.= A personal account is a record of transactions with a particular person or persons. _Examples_-- A record of transactions with persons who buy goods from us. A record of transactions with persons from whom we buy goods. [Illustration] =41. Real Account.= A real account is a record of transactions with respect to a particular property. Properties which we possess are termed _resources_ or _assets_; therefore all real accounts are also _asset accounts_. [Illustration] _Examples_-- Real estate (land and buildings), Machinery, Furniture, Merchandise, etc. =42. Representative Account.= A representative account is a summary of all debit or credit transactions of a particular class with respect to several personal accounts. The debit or credit to this account completes the double entry, and illustrates the rule that in double entry there must be a credit for every debit. _Example_-- We sell goods to a number of customers, and the amounts of these sales are debited to their several accounts. To complete the double entry, we credit the total amount of these sales to an account called _sales account_. The total credits to this account during any given period _represent_ the sales to all customers for the same period, and the sales account is a _representative_ account. The total debits to all customers' accounts for goods purchased in one month amount to $1,423.62. This amount is credited to the sales account. Likewise the purchases for the same period amount to $947.20, and the several amounts are credited to the personal accounts of those from whom the purchases were made, while a like amount is debited to a representative account known as a purchase account. [Illustration] =43. Nominal Account.= A nominal account is a record of transactions having to do with profit and loss; a record of a particular class of expenditures from which no direct returns are expected; any impersonal account which does not come under the classification of real or representative accounts. _Example_-- We buy coal to be used in heating our building. The coal is not to be resold, but its use is necessary; it is one of the expenses of conducting the business, and we charge the amount to an _expense_ account. Expense is a _nominal_ account kept for the purpose of showing the total expenses of the business. [Illustration]