Final answer:
The total cost of the points is $4,200.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the total cost of the points, we first need to calculate the amount of the loan. The borrower bought a house for $180,000 and provided a down payment of $40,000. Therefore, the loan amount is $180,000 - $40,000 = $140,000.
Discount points are a type of prepaid interest that the borrower pays to the lender at closing in exchange for a lower interest rate on the loan. Each discount point is equal to 1% of the loan amount.
In this case, the borrower pays three discount points. So the cost of the points is 3% of $140,000, which is $140,000 * 0.03 = $4,200.
Therefore, the total cost of the points is $4,200.