Reconsider Blooper's mining project. Suppose that by investing an additional $1,000,000 initially, Blooper could reduce variable costs to 35% of sales.

a. Using the base-case assumptions (Spreadsheet 10.1), find the NPV of this alternative scheme.

b. At what level of sales will accounting profits be unchanged if the firm makes the new investment? Assume the equipment receives the same straight-line depreciation treatment as in the original example. (Hint: Focus on the project's incremental effects on fixed and variable costs.)

c. What is the NPV break-even point?