Ben and Steve Receive an Essay Assignment in Their College

question 24

Essay

Ben and Steve receive an essay assignment in their college course. Ben is eager to learn the material and willing to do careful research so he can put together a well-organized essay that presents cogent arguments for the perspective he hopes to discover as he learns more about the issues involved. Steve plans to wait until the night before the essay is due and then to cut and paste from whatever he can find on the Internet until he compiles enough pages to meet the professor's stated minimum. Which of the two students appears to be more disposed toward critical thinking? Explain why.

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Definitions:

Incremental Sales

The additional revenue generated from a specific business decision or action.

Cash Operating Expenses

Expenses incurred during the normal operation of a business that affect its cash position, such as rent, utilities, and payroll, excluding non-cash expenses like depreciation.

Working Capital

The difference between a company's current assets and its current liabilities, indicating the liquidity and operational efficiency of the business.

Straight-Line Depreciation

A technique for breaking down the financial responsibility of a physical asset over its effective life in consistent yearly portions.