Final answer:
To solve the simple interest formula for the interest rate, divide the interest (I) by the product of the principal (p) and time (t), resulting in the formula r = I / (pt). For example, with $500 interest on a $10,000 loan for 5 years, r = $500 / ($10,000 * 5) gives a rate of 1%.
Step-by-step explanation:
To solve the simple interest formula I = prt for the interest rate r, you can follow these steps:
- To isolate r, we want to get r by itself on one side of the equation. To do this, we need to divide both sides of the equation by p (principal) and t (time).
- Doing this, we get the new equation r = I / (pt).
- Now you can use this equation to determine the interest rate by plugging in the values for I (interest), p (principal), and t (time).
For example, if you received $500 in simple interest on a loan that you made for $10,000 for five years, you would plug these values into the formula to find the rate:
r = $500 / ($10,000 \times 5 years)
r = $500 / $50,000
r results in 1% after performing the division.