Final answer:
To find the time, we use the formula for compound interest. Substituting the values and solving for t, we find that the person must leave the money in the bank for approximately 8.8 years until it reaches $10500.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the amount of time the person must leave the money in the bank, we can use the formula for compound interest:
A = P(1 + r/n)^(nt)
Where:
- A is the future value of the investment
- P is the principal amount (initial investment)
- r is the annual interest rate (in decimal form)
- n is the number of times interest is compounded per year
- t is the number of year
In this problem, the principal (P) is $5000, the interest rate (r) is 5% (or 0.05), and the future value (A) is $10500. Since the interest is compounded monthly, the number of times compounded per year (n) is 12.
Substituting the given values into the formula:
$10500 = $5000(1 + 0.05/12)^(12t)
Solving for t using a logarithm or a calculator:
t ≈ 8.8 years (to the nearest tenth of a year)
Therefore, the person must leave the money in the bank for approximately 8.8 years until it reaches $10500.