Final answer:
The nominal rate of interest compounded quarterly equivalent to 5.5% compounded semiannually is approximately 5.48% (option C).
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine the nominal rate of interest compounded quarterly that is equivalent to 5.5% compounded semiannually, we can use the formula:
Effective Annual Rate (EAR) = (1 + i/n)^n - 1
Where i is the nominal interest rate and n is the number of compounding periods per year.
For the given situation, we can set up the equation:
5.5% compounded semiannually = (1 + i/2)^2 - 1
To solve for i, we can use algebra and find that the nominal rate of interest compounded quarterly equivalent to 5.5% compounded semiannually is approximately 5.48% (option C).