Panashe Corporation purchased 20 percent of Servco Corporation's stock on each of the following dates: January 4, 2017; April 3, 2017; July 14, 2017; December 15, 2017; and January 5, 2018. Can Panashe make a Sec. 338 election to have the Servco stock purchases treated as an acquisition of assets? By what date must the election be made?

a. How would your answers change if the purchase dates were instead January 4, 2016; April 3, 2017; July 14, 2017; December 15, 2017; and January 5, 2018?

b. How would your answers change if the purchase dates were instead January 4, 2017; April 3, 2017; July 14, 2017; January 4, 2018; and April 15, 2018 ?