25 The notes to the financial statements: O are not an integral part of the financial statements. are used by many entities to hide information from the reader of the financial statements by including in the notes information that should be shown in detail on the financial statements themselves. should be referred to if more than a cursory, and perhaps misleading impression of a firm's financial position and its results of operations is to be achieved include a great deal of detailed information that is potentially useful only to a financial analyst making a detailed appraisal of the future prospects of the entity