Firms usually offer their customers some form of trade credit. This allowance comes with certain terms of credit. These terms will affect the cost of the asset for both the buyer and the seller.

Consider the following case:

Blue Elk Manufacturing buys most of its raw materials from a single supplier. This supplier sells to Blue Elk on terms of 2/15, net 45. The cost per period of the trade credit extended to Blue Elk, rounded to two decimal places, is_______________% .

Blue Elks trade credit has a nominal annual costexpressed as an annual percentage rate (APR)of______________% , assuming a 365-day year. (Note: Round all intermediate calculations to four decimal places, and your final answer to two decimal places.)

If Blue Elks supplier shortens the discount period by five days, this will(increase or decrease)__________ the cost of the trade credit.