Final answer:
To find the time t for an investment of $8,000 to grow to $12,700 at an annual compound interest rate of 5.25%, we use the compound interest formula and solve for t, which is approximately 10.2 years when rounded to the nearest tenth.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate how long the $8,000 investment will take to grow to $12,700 with an annual compound interest rate of 5.25%, we can use the compound interest formula:
A = P(1 + \frac{r}{n})^{nt}
Where:
Here, A is $12,700, P is $8,000, r is 0.0525 (5.25% expressed as a decimal), and n is 1 because the interest is compounded annually. We're solving for t.
Substituting the known values into the formula, we get:
$12,700 = $8,000(1 + 0.0525)^t
To solve for t, we must isolate it on one side of the equation. We'll start by dividing both sides by $8,000:
1.5875 = (1 + 0.0525)^t
Next, we take the natural logarithm of both sides to remove the exponent on the right:
ln(1.5875) = ln((1 + 0.0525)^t)
ln(1.5875) = t * ln(1 + 0.0525)
By dividing both sides by ln(1 + 0.0525), we can solve for t:
t = \frac{ln(1.5875)}{ln(1 + 0.0525)}
Using a calculator, we find that t is approximately 10.24 years.
Therefore, it will take about 10.2 years for the $8,000 investment to grow to $12,700 at an annual compound interest rate of 5.25%, when rounded to the nearest tenth of a year.