Simon Company's year$-$end balance sheets follow.

At December $31$ Current Year $1$ Year Ago $2$ Years Ago

Assets

Cash $ $31,738$ $ $37,477$ $ $38,656$

Accounts receivable, net $91,98664,92350,521$

Merchandise inventory $116,83589,29253,799$

Prepaid expenses $10,3259,7384,253$

Plant assets, net $298,026271,768239,371$

Total assets $ $548,910$ $ $473,198$ $ $386,600$

Liabilities and Equity

Accounts payable $ $133,945$ $ $82,370$ $ $50,011$

Long$-$term notes payable $100,099111,01285,439$

Common stock, $$10$ par value $162,500163,500162,500$

Retained earnings $152,366116,31688,650$

Total liabilities and equity $ $548,910$ $ $473,198$ $ $386,600$

For both the current year and one year ago, compute the following ratios:

The companys income statements for the current year and one year ago follow. Assume that all sales are on credit:

For Year Ended December $31$ Current Year $1$ Year Ago

Sales $ $713,583$ $ $563,106$

Cost of goods sold $ $435,286$ $ $366,019$

Other operating expenses $221,211142,466$

Interest expense $12,13112,951$

Income tax expense $9,2778,447$

Total costs and expenses $677,905529,883$

Net income $ $35,678$ $ $33,223$

Earnings per share $ $2\mathrm{.}20$ $ $2\mathrm{.}04$

$(1-$a$)$ Compute days' sales uncollected.

$(1-$b$)$ Determine if days' sales uncollected improved or worsened in the current year.

$(2-$a$)$ Compute accounts receivable turnover.

$(2-$b$)$ Determine if accounts receivable turnover ratio improved or worsened in the current year.

$(3-$a$)$ Compute inventory turnover.

$(3-$b$)$ Determine if inventory turnover ratio improved or worsened in the current year.

$(4-$a$)$ Compute days' sales in inventory.

$(4-$b$)$ For each ratio, determine if days' sales in inventory improved or worsened in the current year.