The allowance method requires companies to estimate future bad debts and record those
estimates in the current period as a reduction in accounts receivable and an increase in bad debt
expense. The direct write-off method makes no attempt to estimate future bad debts. Instead, the
Question 5-17 (LO 5-7)
One common difference is that notes receivable commonly require the borrower to pay
interest. Also, notes receivable typically arise not from sales to customers, but from loans to
Question 5-18 (LO 5-7)
Face value – amount of the note.
Annual interest rate – the interest charged by the lender to the borrower stated on an annual
(twelve month) basis.
Fraction of the year – the proportion of the year that the note is outstanding.
Question 5-19 (LO 5-7)
Interest = Face
value xAnnual
interest rate xFraction of
the year
Question 5-20 (LO 5-7)
Recording interest earned but not yet received includes a debit to interest receivable and a
Question 5-21 (LO 5-8)
The receivables turnover ratio equals net credit sales divided by average accounts receivable.
The ratio shows the number of times during a year that the average accounts receivable balance
Question 5-22 (LO 5-8)
The average collection period equals 365 days divided by the receivables turnover ratio. The
ratio shows the approximate number of days the average accounts receivable balance is