Final answer:
The journal entry for a corporation issuing $5,000,000 of bonds at par will include debiting Cash and crediting Bonds Payable for $5,000,000, on January 1 to reflect the inflow of cash and the company's liability.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question involves a corporation issuing bonds with a par value of $5,000,000, an interest rate of 8% paid semiannually, and the bonds maturing in 20 years. Since the bonds are sold at par, the journal entry to record the issuance of these bonds on January 1 would be to debit Cash and credit Bonds Payable for the amount of $5,000,000. This reflects the inflow of cash from the bond investors and the firm's obligation to pay back the bond's par value at maturity.