United State president can earn 6% interest on a one-year bank deposit of $100,000 at home. Alternatively, she can convert the $100,000 into German marks and earn 4% on a one-year bank deposit in Germany. The initial exchange rate is 1.5 DM/US$. (Provide the working method to obtain answer)

a) Suppose that she wishes to withdraw her money at the end of the year. If the exchange rate changes to 1.45DM/US$ at the end of the year, which deposit will give the U.S. resident a higher return? By how much (measured in U.S. dollars)?

b) At the end of the year, an U.S. investor wishes to travel to Ireland to visit relatives. She sees that the IR /US$ exchange rate is 0.91IR/1$, and the IR/DM exchange rate is 0.40IR/1DM, and the DM/$ conversion is 1.45DM/US$. Should she convert the $10,000 she wishes to take to Ireland directly from US$ to IR, or should she first convert to DM, and then to IR? How much does (in US$) she make/lose by converting to DM first?