3.9 Computing Cash Payments to Suppliers.

Lowes Companies, a retailer of home improvement products, reported cost of goods sold of $31,729 million for Year 1. It reported merchandise inventories of $7,611 million at the beginning of Year 1 and $8,209 million at the end of Year 1. It reported accounts payable to suppliers of $3,713 million at the beginning of fiscal Year 1 and $4,109 million at the end of fiscal Year 1. Compute the amount of cash paid to merchandise suppliers during Year 1.