Final answer:
Infrequent gains or losses should be disclosed separately on the income statement with a clear description, as they are significant and unusual events that materially impact a company's financial position. In the case of a gain of a few hundred billion dollars, special attention is required since it affects periodic financial results and could persist annually.
Step-by-step explanation:
When disclosing gain or loss that is considered infrequent, it should be presented separately within the income statement, often below the line for income from continuing operations, and its nature should be clearly described and quantified. This treatment is required because such gains or losses are unusual or atypical events that do not reflect the ordinary activities of the business. Their disclosure helps users of financial statements to better understand the results of operations and assess the sustainability of the income being reported.
For example, a gain of a few hundred billion dollars is indeed significant, and it would fall under this reporting category. Such a large figure would warrant special attention since it represents an event that subjects to infrequent occurrence, materially affecting the company's financial position. The disclosure of this information is crucial as it implies a sizable impact on the periodic financial results and indicates that this increase is not a one-time event, but something that could persist each year into the future.