Final answer:
Alice deposited $3000 in a savings account with an annual interest rate of 4.5%. After four months, using the formula for simple interest (I = PRT), her money earned $45 in interest.
Step-by-step explanation:
Alice's deposit of $3000 at an annual interest rate of 4.5% calculated for four months requires the use of the simple interest formula, which is I = PRT, where I is the interest earned, P is the principal amount deposited, R is the annual interest rate (expressed as a decimal), and T is the time in years. To find the simple interest earned over four months (which is ⅓ of a year), we use the following:
I = PRT
I = $3000 × 0.045 × (⅓)
I = $3000 × 0.045 × 0.3333...
I = $45
Therefore, Alice earned $45 in simple interest over the four-month period.