Final answer:
Bethany would pay a total of $3,000 in interest over 5 years by borrowing $10,000 at a 6% simple interest rate. The calculation is based on the simple interest formula, yielding a straightforward interest total.
Step-by-step explanation:
Calculating Simple Interest for a Loan
Bethany needs to calculate the total interest she would pay if she borrowed $10,000 at a 6% simple interest rate for 5 years. The formula for simple interest is I = P × R × T, where I is the interest, P is the principal amount, R is the rate of interest per year, and T is the time in years.
To calculate the interest Bethany would pay, we use the values P = $10,000, R = 6% or 0.06 in decimal form, and T = 5 years. Plugging these values into the formula we get:
I = $10,000 × 0.06 × 5
So, Bethany's interest calculation would be:
$10,000 × 0.06 × 5 = $3,000
Hence, Bethany would pay a total of $3,000 in interest over the 5 years with the simple interest option.