Answer:
$76,000
Explanation:
The calculation of the interest expense is shown below:
= Reported amount of cash paid for interest + Decrease in prepaid interest - decrease in accrued interest payable
= $70,000 + $23,000 - $17,000
= $76,000
The decrease in prepaid interest is classified as a current asset and the accrued interest payable is current liabilities and we know that the rise in current assets and a decline in current liabilities are excluded, while the decline in current assets and an increase in current liabilities are included.