Final answer:
The effective annual rate (EAR) for the loan is calculated based on the actual amount received ($20,904) and the total interest paid ($3,096). The EAR comes out to be 14.81%.
Step-by-step explanation:
Calculating the Effective Annual Rate
To calculate the effective annual rate (EAR), we need to consider the terms of the loan as given in the scenario. The lender is offering a loan of $24,000, but they are subtracting the interest of $3,096 up front, effectively giving out only $20,904. To find the EAR, we use the formula for the effective annual rate, which accounts for the actual amount received by the borrower and the total interest paid.
The calculation is as follows:
EAR = (1 + (Interest / Principal Received))^n - 1
Where:
- Interest is the total interest paid over the loan period,
- Principal Received is the actual amount given to the borrower,
- n is the number of compounding periods per year.
In this case, since the loan is for one year and there are no additional compounding periods specified, we will assume n is 1. The calculation is therefore:
EAR = (1 + ($3,096 / $20,904))^1 - 1
EAR = (1 + 0.1481) - 1
EAR = 0.1481 or 14.81%
The effective annual rate of this loan is 14.81%.