Question

Your credit card company charges you 1.36 percent per month. What is the EAR on your credit card?


Multiple Choice

18.48%


16.32%


15.50%


16.96%


17.60%

Answers

GPT-4o mini
To calculate the Effective Annual Rate (EAR) based on a monthly interest rate of 1.36%, we can use the following formula:

\[
\text{EAR} = (1 + r)^n - 1
\]

where:
- \( r \) is the monthly interest rate (expressed as a decimal), and
- \( n \) is the number of compounding periods in one year (12 for monthly compounding).

First, convert the monthly rate from a percentage to a decimal:

\[
r = \frac{1.36}{100} = 0.0136
\]

Now, apply the values to the formula:

\[
\text{EAR} = (1 + 0.0136)^{12} - 1
\]

Calculating \( (1 + 0.0136)^{12} \):

\[
(1.0136)^{12} \approx 1.171659
\]

Subtracting 1 to find the EAR:

\[
\text{EAR} \approx 1.171659 - 1 = 0.171659
\]

Converting back to a percentage:

\[
\text{EAR} \approx 17.17\%
\]

Given the options provided, the closest correct answer is **17.60%**, though it does not match perfectly with the calculated approximation.

**Answer: 17.60%**

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