Final answer:
An upfront investment of $800,000 is needed to fund a $50,000 annual perpetuity scholarship with an investment returning 6.25% annually by using the present value of a perpetuity formula: PV = C / r.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine how much upfront investment would be required to fund a $50,000 scholarship in perpetuity with an investment fund that offers a 6.25% annual return, we can use the formula for the present value of a perpetuity. The formula is PV = C / r, where PV is the present value, C is the annual cash flow, and r is the annual interest rate (expressed as a decimal).
In this case, C is $50,000 and r is 0.0625. Plugging these values into the formula, we get:
PV = $50,000 / 0.0625
PV = $800,000
Therefore, an upfront investment of $800,000 is required to fund a perpetual scholarship of $50,000 per year at a 6.25% return rate.