On January $1,2023,$ QuickPort Company acquired $90$ percent of the outstanding voting stock of NetSpeed, Incorporated for $\backslash$$$981,000$ in cash and stock options. At the acquisition date, NetSpeed had common stock of $\backslash (\backslash$$ $990,000\backslash )$ and Retained Earnings of $\backslash (\backslash$$ $78,000\backslash ).$ The acquisition$-$date fair value of the $10$ percent noncontrolling interest was $\backslash (\backslash$$ $109,000\backslash ).$ QuickPort attributed the $\backslash (\backslash$$ $69,500\backslash )$ excess of NetSpeed's fair value over book value to a database with a five$-$year remaining life.

On July $1,2023,$ QuickPort sold communication equipment to NetSpeed for $\backslash$$$53,400.$ The equipment originally cost $\backslash$$$59,400$ and had accumulated depreciation of $\backslash$$$10,140$ and an estimated remaining life of three years at the date of the intra$-$entity transfer.

Required:

Note: Use cells A$2$ to C$24$ from the given information and amounts calculated below to complete this question.

a$.$ Compute the equity method balance in QuickPort's Investment in NetSpeed, Incorporated account as of December $31,2024.$

Note: Input all amounts as positive values.

b$.$ Prepare the worksheet adjustments for the December $31,2024$ consolidation of QuickPort and NetSpeed.