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5 votes
5 votes
A deposit of $4000 is made into a savings account that pays 2.48% annual interest compunded quarterly.

a. How much money is in the account after 3 years?
b. How long will it take for the account to earn $500 interest?
years
c. How much more money will be in the account after 3 years if the interest if compounded continuously?

User Spiros
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1 Answer

15 votes
15 votes

Answer:

a. $4307.96

b. 4.76 years

c. $0.99

Explanation:

These questions can be answered using the relevant formulas for future value of an investment.

a.

For compound interest, the account balance is given by ...

A = P(1 +r/n)^(nt) . . . . principal P at annual rate r compounded n times per year for t years

$4000 at 2.48% compounded quarterly for 3 years will give an account balance of ...

A = $4000(1 +0.0248/4)^(4·3) = $4000×1.0062^12 ≈ $4307.96

After 3 years, there will be $4307.96 in the account.

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b.

After earning $500 in interest, the account balance will be $4500. That means we need to solve for t such that ...

4500 = 4000(1.0062^(4t))

log(4500/4000)/(4×log(1.0062)) = t ≈ 4.764

It will take about 4.76 years to earn $500 interest.

__

c.

The future value of an account with continuous compounding is given by ...

A = Pe^(rt)

A = $4000e^(0.0248·3) ≈ $4308.95

Then the additional interest is ...

$4308.95 -4307.96 = $0.99

If the money is compounded continuously, there will be $0.99 more in the account after 3 years.

User RNJ
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