Final answer:
Ruby will pay $40.50 in interest on her $450 loan at an annual interest rate of 3% over 3 years, using the simple interest formula I = PRT.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question involves calculating the total simple interest that Ruby will pay on a loan of $450 with an annual interest rate of 3% for a period of 3 years. To calculate the interest, you can use the formula for simple interest, which is I = PRT, 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.
Using Ruby's loan details, we have:
- Principal (P) = $450
- Rate (R) = 3% per year or 0.03 as a decimal
- Time (T) = 3 years
Substitute these values into the formula:
I = PRT
I = $450 × 0.03 × 3
I = $450 × 0.09
I = $40.50
Therefore, Ruby will pay $40.50 in interest over the 3-year period, which corresponds to answer choice (a).