Analyze the options provided in the problem: The first option refers to the amount of capital invested in property, plant, and equipment, which is unrelated to the cost of capital. The second option correctly identifies the cost of capital as the average rate of return required to finance assets. The third option refers to cash outflows, which are part of cash flow analysis, not cost of capital. The fourth option focuses on interest paid on short-term loans, which is only a subset of financing costs and does not encompass the broader concept of cost of capital.