To find out how much should be deposited in an account to have a balance of $6,000 after 30 years and 6 months with a 4.5% interest rate compounded semiannually, you can use the compound interest formula:
A = P(1 + r/n)^(nt)
Where:
A = the future balance ($6,000 in this case)
P = the principal amount you want to find
r = the annual interest rate (4.5% or 0.045 as a decimal)
n = the number of times the interest is compounded per year (semiannually means 2 times per year)
t = the number of years (30 years and 6 months, which is 30.5 years)
Now, plug in the values and solve for P:
$6,000 = P(1 + 0.045/2)^(2 * 30.5)
$6,000 = P(1 + 0.0225)^(61)
$6,000 = P(1.0225)^61
To solve for P, divide both sides by (1.0225)^61:
P = $6,000 / (1.0225)^61
Now, calculate P:
P ≈ $2,268.45 (rounded to the nearest cent)
So, you would need to deposit approximately $2,268.45 to have a balance of $6,000 after 30 years and 6 months, with a 4.5% interest rate compounded semiannually.