Final answer:
The question involves calculating the present value of bonds payable by considering the bond terms and market interest rate. The present value would be the sum of the discounted future interest payments and the discounted principal payment. Present value tables will assist in simplifying these calculations.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student is asking to determine the present value of bonds payable issued by Moss Co. To calculate this, we consider the face value of the bonds, the stated interest rate, and the market interest rate which acts as the discount rate in this scenario. It's important to note that the interest is paid semiannually, and the effect of compounding must be accounted for in the present value calculations. Using present value tables for both the principal and the interest component can simplify this process. The interest payments create an annuity, and the lump-sum principal payment is a single future value both to be discounted back to the present value at the market interest rate.
Without the tables mentioned in the question, we will exemplify the approach using a simpler scenario:
At a discount rate of 8%, the present value equals the face value since the coupon rate equals the discount rate.
If the discount rate rises to 11%, the payments are discounted more heavily and the present value becomes less than the face value.
If the market interest rate is 10% and differs from the coupon rate, the bond's price would typically be at a premium or discount depending on whether the coupon rate is higher or lower than the market rate.