On January $1,2019,$ Aspen Company acquired $80$ percent of Birch Company's voting stock for $$328,000.$ Birch reported a $$335,000$

book value, and the fair value of the noncontrolling interest was $$82,000$ on that date. Then, on January $1,2023,$ Birch acquired $80$

percent of Cedar Company for $$172,000$ when Cedar had a $$161,000$ book value and the $20$ percent noncontrolling interest was

valued at $$43,000.$ In each acquisition, the subsidiary's excess acquisition$-$date fair over book value was assigned to a trade name with

a $30-$year remaining life.

These companies report the following financial information. Investment income figures are not included.

Assume that each of the following questions is independent:

Required:

a$.$ If all companies use the equity method for internal reporting purposes, what is the December $31,2023,$ balance in Aspen's

Investment in Birch Company account?

b$.$ What is the consolidated net income for this business combination for $2024?$

c$.$ What is the net income attributable to the noncontrolling interest in $2024?$

d$.$ Assume that Birch made intra$-$entity inventory transfers to Aspen that have resulted in the following intra$-$entity gross profits in

inventory at the end of each year:

What is the accrual$-$based net income of Birch in $2023$ and $2024,$ respectively?