Jessica deposits $50,000 into an account that pays 4% interest per year compounded annually Tom deposits $50,000 into an account that also pays 4% per year but it is simple interest find the interest Jessica and Tom earn during each of the first three years then decide who earns more interest for each year assume there are no withdrawals and no additional deposits

1 answer

To calculate the interest earned by Jessica each year, we can use the formula for compound interest:

Compound interest = Principal * (1 + interest rate)^time - Principal

For the first year:
Principal = $50,000
Interest rate = 4% = 0.04
Time = 1 year

Compound interest = $50,000 * (1 + 0.04)^1 - $50,000
Compound interest = $50,000 * (1.04) - $50,000
Compound interest = $52,000 - $50,000
Compound interest = $2,000

For the second year:
Principal = $50,000
Interest rate = 4% = 0.04
Time = 2 years

Compound interest = $50,000 * (1 + 0.04)^2 - $50,000
Compound interest = $50,000 * (1.04)^2 - $50,000
Compound interest = $50,000 * (1.0816) - $50,000
Compound interest = $54,080 - $50,000
Compound interest = $4,080

For the third year:
Principal = $50,000
Interest rate = 4% = 0.04
Time = 3 years

Compound interest = $50,000 * (1 + 0.04)^3 - $50,000
Compound interest = $50,000 * (1.04)^3 - $50,000
Compound interest = $50,000 * (1.1259) - $50,000
Compound interest = $56,295 - $50,000
Compound interest = $6,295

Now let's calculate the interest earned by Tom each year using the formula for simple interest:

Simple interest = Principal * interest rate * time

For the first year:
Principal = $50,000
Interest rate = 4% = 0.04
Time = 1 year

Simple interest = $50,000 * 0.04 * 1
Simple interest = $2,000

For the second year:
Principal = $50,000
Interest rate = 4% = 0.04
Time = 2 years

Simple interest = $50,000 * 0.04 * 2
Simple interest = $4,000

For the third year:
Principal = $50,000
Interest rate = 4% = 0.04
Time = 3 years

Simple interest = $50,000 * 0.04 * 3
Simple interest = $6,000

Comparing the interest earned by Jessica and Tom each year:

Year 1: Jessica earns $2,000 in compound interest, while Tom earns $2,000 in simple interest.
Jessica earns the same interest as Tom.

Year 2: Jessica earns $4,080 in compound interest, while Tom earns $4,000 in simple interest.
Jessica earns more interest than Tom.

Year 3: Jessica earns $6,295 in compound interest, while Tom earns $6,000 in simple interest.
Jessica earns more interest than Tom.

In summary, Jessica earns more interest during the second and third years, while they earn the same interest during the first year.