Question: Ernst Equipment Co. wants to make interim financial statements for the 1st quarter. The firm wishes to avoid making a physical count of inventory. Ernst's gross profit rate averages 30 percent. The following data for the 1st quarter is available from its records:
January 1 beginning inventory . . . . . . . . . . $ 752,880
Cost of goods purchased . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,159,630
Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,710,250
Sales returns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74,200
Check Ernst ending inventory, $367,275