Alex works at the pretzel factory. the customers always compliment the pretzels alex makes, saying they taste better than any other pretzels. but alex uses extra ingredients on each pretzel, making the cost per pretzel go up and the profit go down. in a paragraph of no less than 125 words, give alex some constructive feedback on his performance.

Hanna intends to give her granddaughter, melodee, her antique hat pin. this heirloom has been kept under lock and key in the wall vault in the library of hanna's house in virginia. the hat pin is currently the only item in the vault. when hanna is visiting melodee in connecticut, hanna gives melodee the only key to the vault. melodee is grateful for the present and excitedly accepts. in this situation has there been a completed gift?

The treasurer for pittsburgh iron works wishes to use financial futures to hedge her interest rate exposure. she will sell five treasury futures contracts at $139,000 per contract. it is july and the contracts must be closed out in december of this year. long-term interest rates are currently 7.30 percent. if they increase to 9.50 percent, assume the value of the contracts will go down by 20 percent. also if interest rates do increase by 2.2 percent, assume the firm will have additional interest expense on its business loans and other commitments of $149,000. this expense, of course, will be separate from the futures contracts. a. what will be the profit or loss on the futures contract if interest rates increase to 9.50 percent by december when the contract is closed out

Annuity payments are assumed to come at the end of each payment period (termed an ordinary annuity). however, an exception occurs when the annuity payments come at the beginning of each period (termed an annuity due). what is the future value of a 13-year annuity of $2,800 per period where payments come at the beginning of each period? the interest rate is 9 percent. use appendix c for an approximate answer, but calculate your final answer using the formula and financial calculator methods. to find the future value of an annuity due when using the appendix tables, add 1 to n and subtract 1 from the tabular value. for example, to find the future value of a $100 payment at the beginning of each period for five periods at 10 percent, go to appendix c for n = 6 and i = 10 percent. look up the value of 7.716 and subtract 1 from it for an answer of 6.716 or $671.60 ($100 × 6.716)