QS $13-14$

Computing debt$-$to$-$equity ratio and times interest earned P$3$

Paddy$$s Pub reported the following year$-$end data: income before interest expense and income tax expense of $$30,000$; cost of goods sold of $$17,000$; interest expense of $$1,500$; total assets of $$70,000$; total liabilities of $$20,000$; and total equity of $$50,000.$ Compute the $($a $)$ debt$-$to$-$equity ratio and $($b $)$ times interest earned. Round to one decimal.