Analyzing changes in accounts receivable. The financial statements and notes for May Department Stores reveal the following for four recent years (amounts in millions):

Year 9 Year 10 Year 11 Year 12 Total Sales $8,330 62.2%

$57

$9,456 64.9%

$64

$10,035 66.9%

$82

$10,615 Credit Sales/Total Sales 68.7%

Bad Debt Expense End of Year $96 Year 8 Year 9 Year 10 Year 11 Year 12 Accounts Receivable, Gross ....

Less Allowance for Uncollectible Accounts

$1,592

(47)

$1,545

$2,099

(61)

$2,038

$2,223

(66)

$2,157

$2,456

(84)

$2,372

$2,607

(99)

$2,508

a. Compute the amount of accounts written off as uncollectible during Year 9. Year 10, Year 11. and Year 12.

b. Compute the amount of cash collections from credit customers during Year 9. Year 10, Year 1 1. and Year 12.

c. Calculate the accounts receivable turnover ratio for Year 9, Year 10. Year 1 1. and Year 12 using total sales in the numerator and average accounts receivable (net) in the denominator.

d. Repeat part c but use credit sales in the numerator.

e. What are the likely reasons for the different trends in the two measures of the accounts receivable turnover ratio in parts c and d?