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Credit Cards Quick Check
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Question
You and your friend go to the store to buy a new set of headphones when they release. The headphones cost $150. You use your debit card to buy the headphones. Your friend uses their credit card to buy the headphones. Their credit card has a monthly interest rate of 2%. If it takes your friend a year to pay off the headphones, who spends less on the purchase and by how much?(1 point)
Responses

You spend $3 less than your friend.
You spend $3 less than your friend.

You spend $36 less than your friend.
You spend $36 less than your friend.

Your friend spends $36 less than you.
Your friend spends $36 less than you.

Your friend spends $3 less than you.
Your friend spends $3 less than you.
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1 answer

To determine who spends less on the purchase, let's calculate the total amount your friend pays for the headphones after a year of interest.

  1. Cost of headphones: $150
  2. Monthly interest rate on the credit card: 2%
  3. Total time to pay off: 1 year (12 months)

Calculating the total amount your friend pays:

The formula to calculate the total amount paid with interest over time is:

\[ A = P(1 + r)^n \]

where:

  • \(A\) is the total amount after interest,
  • \(P\) is the principal amount (initial cost),
  • \(r\) is the interest rate per period,
  • \(n\) is the number of periods.

Here:

  • \(P = 150\)
  • \(r = 0.02\)
  • \(n = 12\)

Now we plug in the values:

\[ A = 150 \times (1 + 0.02)^{12} \]

Calculating \(A\):

\[ = 150 \times (1.02)^{12} \] \[ = 150 \times 1.2682418 \quad (\text{approximation for } (1.02)^{12}) \] \[ \approx 190.23 \]

So, your friend will pay approximately $190.23 for the headphones after one year.

Total spent:

  • You (using debit card): $150
  • Your friend (using credit card): approximately $190.23

Difference in spending:

To find out who spends less and by how much:

\[ 190.23 - 150 = 40.23 \]

Thus, your friend spends $40.23 more than you.

Conclusion:

You spend $40.23 less than your friend. Since this specific amount isn't among the options provided, it seems there might be a discrepancy in the choices listed. None of the given responses are correct according to the calculations. You should clarify the interest period as it significantly changes the total cost.