Final answer:
To find the continuous rate of interest that increased an investment from $25,000 to $100,000 over 18 years, we use the formula A=Pe^rt. Calculating and applying natural logarithms, the rate is approximately 22.2% when rounded to one decimal point.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student is tasked with finding the continuous rate of interest that grew an investment from $25,000 to $100,000 over the course of 18 years. Utilizing the given formula A = Pert, where A is the future value of the investment, P is the principal amount, e is the base of the natural logarithm, r is the rate of interest, and t is the time in years the money is invested, we can solve for r.
Plugging in the given values, we get:
100,000 = 25,000 × e(r × 18)
To find r, we apply the natural logarithm to both sides:
ln(100,000/25,000) = ln(e(r × 18))
4 = 18r
r = 4/18
r = 0.2222
As a percentage, the continuous compound interest rate is approximately 22.2%, after rounding to one decimal point.