Math Problem Statement

Jason is going to invest $1,900 and leave it in an account for 6 years. Assuming the interest is compounded continuously, what interest rate, to the nearest hundredth of a percent, would be required in order for Jason to end up with $2,400?

Solution

To solve this problem, we can use the formula for continuously compounded interest:

A=PertA = P e^{rt}

Where:

  • AA is the amount of money accumulated after interest (in this case, $2,400),
  • PP is the principal amount (in this case, $1,900),
  • rr is the annual interest rate (which we need to solve for),
  • tt is the time the money is invested or borrowed for (in this case, 6 years),
  • ee is the base of the natural logarithm (approximately 2.71828).

Step 1: Substitute the known values into the formula.

2400=1900e6r2400 = 1900 e^{6r}

Step 2: Solve for e6re^{6r}.

24001900=e6r\frac{2400}{1900} = e^{6r}

240019001.2632\frac{2400}{1900} \approx 1.2632

1.2632=e6r1.2632 = e^{6r}

Step 3: Take the natural logarithm of both sides.

ln(1.2632)=ln(e6r)\ln(1.2632) = \ln(e^{6r})

ln(1.2632)0.2341\ln(1.2632) \approx 0.2341

6r=0.23416r = 0.2341

Step 4: Solve for rr.

r=0.23416r = \frac{0.2341}{6}

r0.0390r \approx 0.0390

Step 5: Convert to percentage.

r×100=3.90%r \times 100 = 3.90\%

So, the interest rate required is approximately 3.90%.


Would you like further details on how this calculation works, or do you have any questions? Here are some related questions to explore:

  1. How does the formula for compound interest differ when interest is compounded annually versus continuously?
  2. What happens to the required interest rate if the time period changes to 5 years?
  3. How do you calculate the interest earned if the principal is $1,500 and the interest rate is 4% compounded continuously for 10 years?
  4. What is the impact of increasing the investment amount on the required interest rate to reach a specific target?
  5. How does increasing the time period for investment affect the interest rate needed to reach a target amount?

Tip: Continuous compounding leads to slightly higher interest amounts compared to other compounding methods, as interest is calculated and added continuously rather than at set intervals.

Ask a new question for Free

By Image

Drop file here or Click Here to upload

Math Problem Analysis

Mathematical Concepts

Continuous Compounding
Exponential Functions
Logarithms

Formulas

A = P e^(rt)

Theorems

Natural Logarithm properties
Exponential Growth model

Suitable Grade Level

Grades 11-12