Final answer:
Analytical procedures at the end of an audit are typically used to identify any unusual transactions or trends to challenge the company's results and its external influences. This critical aspect aligns with the purpose of evaluating the financial statement presentation and is connected with option (c). These procedures are not aimed at providing client services or increasing reporting items, and they are not part of GAAS documentation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The typical purpose of analytical procedures at the end of an audit is to help auditors identify any unusual transactions or trends that may indicate potential misstatements. Analytical procedures involve evaluating financial information by studying plausible relationships among both financial and non-financial data. They are used alongside other audit procedures to obtain sufficient, appropriate audit evidence.
Analytical procedures at the end of an audit also serve the purpose of helping auditors to evaluate the overall financial statement presentation. By examining trends, ratios, and other financial data, auditors can ask critical questions about a company's financial results and how external factors might be influencing these results. This is closely aligned with option (c) "To ask 'hard questions' about the company's results and its relationship to external factors." This approach can help in identifying areas that may require further attention or that suggest potential misstatement in financial statements.
It is important to note that while analytical procedures can provide valuable insights, they are not typically used to provide a value-added service to the client (option b), to increase the amount of items reported in the management letter (option d), nor are they conducted to document planning in accordance with Generally Accepted Auditing Standards (GAAS) (option a), as this occurs at the planning stage of an audit.