$($Analyzing coverage ratios$)$ The income statements for McCormack Harware Distributors spanning the last three years are found here:

a$.$ Calculate the times interest earned ratio for each of the years for which you have data.

b$.$ What is your assessment of how the firm's ability to service its debt obligations has changed over this period?

a$.$ The times interest earned ratio for year $\backslash ($ t $\backslash )$ was

times. $($Round to two decimal places.$)$

Data table

$($Click on the following icon in order to copy its contents into a spreadsheet.$)$