$\backslash$table$[[$At December $31,$Current Y$,1$ Yr Ago,$2$ Yrs Ago$],[$Assets$],[$Cash$,$$ $31,800,$$ $35,625,$$ $37,800],[$Accounts receivable, net,$89,500,62,500,50,200],[$Merchandise inventory,$112,500,82,500,54,000],[$Prepaid expenses,$10,700,9,375,5,000],[$Plant assets, net,$278,500,255,000,230,500],[$Total assets,$$523,000,$$$445,000,$$ $377,500],[$Liabilities and Equity$],[$Accounts payable,$$129,900,$$ $75,250,$$ $51,250],[$Long$-$term notes payable secured by mortgages on plant assets,$98,500,101,500,83,500],[$Common stock, $$10$ par value,$163,500,163,500,163,500],[$Retained earnings,$131,100,104,750,79,250],[$Total liabilities and equity,$$523,000,$$$445,000,$$ $377,500]]$

The company's income statements for the current year and $1$ year ago, follow.

$\backslash$table$[[$For Year Ended December $31,$Current Yr$,1$ Yr Ago$],[$Sales$,,$$$673,500,,$$$,532,000],[$Cost of goods sold,$$411,225,,$$$345,500,,],[$Other operating expenses,$209,550,,134,980,,],[$Iniarest expense,$12,100,,13,300,,],[$Income tax expense,$9,525,,8,845,,],[$Total costs and expenses,,$642,400,,,502,625],[,,$$ $31,100,,$$$,29,375],[$ngs pein share,,$ $1\mathrm{.}90,,$$$,1\mathrm{.}80]]$

For both the Current Year and $1$ Year Ago, compute the following ratios:

$(1-$a$)$ Profit margin ratio.

$(1-$b$)$ Did profit margin improve or worsen in the Current Year versus $1$ Year Ago?