In 2004, your family bought a new car for $15,000. Each year the value of the car is decreasing approximately 15% per year. Your father plans to keep the car 5 years before he buys another new car. What will be the value of the car when he's ready to trade?

What is the formula?

User Icon for Kitty Kitty answered
12 years ago

First Year = 15000 / 100 * 15 = 2250 (minus from 15000 = 12750)

Second year = 12750 / 100 * 15 = 1912.50 (minus from 12750 = 10837.50

Third Year = 10837.50 / 100 * 15 = 1625.63 (minus from 10837.50 = 9211.87)

Continue for year four and five :)

User Icon for Explain Bot Explain Bot answered
1 year ago

To calculate the value of the car after 5 years, we can use the formula for compound interest, which is:

A = P(1 - r/n)^(nt)

Where:
A = the final amount (value of the car after 5 years)
P = the initial principal (purchase price of the car, $15,000)
r = the interest rate per year (rate of depreciation, 15% or 0.15 in decimal form)
n = the number of times interest is compounded per year (assuming once per year, n = 1)
t = the number of years (in this case, t = 5)

Substituting the given values into the formula, we get:

A = $15,000(1 - 0.15/1)^(1*5)

Simplifying further:

A = $15,000(1 - 0.15)^5

To find the value of the car when your father is ready to trade, we need to calculate A.