Beacon Company is considering automating its production facility. The initial investment in automation would be $$9\mathrm{.}76$ million, and the equipment has a useful life of $8$ years with a residual value of $$1,200,000.$ The company will use straight$-$line depreciation. Beacon could expect a production increase of $40,000$ units per year and a reduction of $20$ percent in the labor cost per unit.

$2.$ Determine the project's accounting rate of return. $($Round your answer to $2$ decimal places.$)$

$3.$ Determine the project's payback period. $($Round your answer to $2$ decimal places$)$

$4.$ Using a discount rate of $14$ percent, calculate the net present value $($NPV$)$ of the proposed investment. $($Future Value of $$1,$ Present Value of $$1,$ Future Value Annuity of $$1,$ Present Value Annuity of $$1.)($Use appropriate factor$($s$)$ from the tables provided. Negative amount should be indicated by a minus sign. Enter the answer in whole dollars.$)$

$5.$ Recalculate the NPV using a $9$ percent discount rate. $($Future Value of $$1,$ Present Value of $$1,$ Future Value Annuity of $$1,$ Present Value Annuity of $$1.)($Use appropriate factor$($s$)$ from the tables provided. Negative amount should be indicated by a minus sign. Enter the answer in whole dollars.$)$