Final answer:
Cash equivalents must be highly liquid, readily convertible to known amounts of cash, and subject to an insignificant risk of changes in value.
Step-by-step explanation:
The required characteristics of cash equivalents are:
- Highly liquid: Cash equivalents should be easily and quickly converted into cash without any significant loss in value.
- Readily convertible to known amounts of cash: Cash equivalents should have a fixed value that can be easily determined and converted into a specific amount of cash.
- Subject to an insignificant risk of changes in value: Cash equivalents should have minimal risk of changes in their market value, ensuring their stability.
Therefore, the correct answer is 4) All of the above.