Franklin Boot Co. sells mens, womens, and childrens boots. For each type of boot sold, it operates a separate department that has its own manager. The manager of the mens department has a sales staff of nine employees, the manager of the womens department has six employees, and the manager of the childrens department has three employees. All departments are housed in a single store. In recent years, the childrens department has operated at a net loss and is expected to continue to do so. Last years income statements follow: Mens Department Womens Department Childrens Department Sales $ 670,000 $ 490,000 $ 180,000 Cost of goods sold (269,000 ) (179,200 ) (100,375 ) Gross margin 401,000 310,800 79,625 Department managers salary (59,000 ) (48,000 ) (28,000 ) Sales commissions (113,200 ) (82,600 ) (31,400 ) Rent on store lease (28,000 ) (28,000 ) (28,000 ) Store utilities (11,000 ) (11,000 ) (11,000 ) Net income (loss) $ 189,800 $ 141,200 $ (18,775 ) Required a. Calculate the contribution margin. Determine whether to eliminate the childrens department. b-1. Calculate the net income for the company as a whole with the children's department. b-2. Confirm the conclusion you reached in Requirement a by preparing income statements for the company as a whole with and without the childrens department. c. Eliminating the childrens department would increase space available to display mens and womens boots. Suppose management estimates that a wider selection of adult boots would increase the stores net earnings by $39,000. Would this information affect the decision that you made in Requirement a?