Final answer:
To calculate how much money Sara needs to put in her savings account now, use the formula for compound interest.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate how much money Sara needs to put in her savings account now, we can use the formula for compound interest. The formula is:
A = P(1 + r/n)^(nt)
Where:
- A is the future value of the investment
- P is the present value or the initial investment
- r is the annual interest rate (expressed as a decimal)
- n is the number of times the interest is compounded per year
- t is the time in years
By rearranging the formula, we can solve for P (the present value):
P = A / (1 + r/n)^(nt)
By plugging in the values for A, r, n, and t, we can calculate the amount Sara needs to put in her savings account now to reach her goal of $X in Z years.