Joe invests $2,550 at 3% interest compounded annually. What will be the balance in the account after 1.5 years?

1 answer

To find the balance in the account after 1.5 years, we can use the formula for compound interest:

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

where:
A = the future value of the investment/loan, including interest
P = the principal investment amount (the initial deposit or loan amount)
r = the annual interest rate (decimal)
n = the number of times that interest is compounded per unit t
t = the time the money is invested or borrowed for, in years

In this case, the principal investment is $2,550, the interest rate is 3% per annum, which is equal to 0.03 in decimal form. The interest is compounded annually, so the interest is compounded once a year (n = 1). And the account is invested for 1.5 years.

Plugging these values into the formula, we get:

A = $2,550(1 + 0.03/1)^(1*1.5)

A = $2,550(1 + 0.03)^(1.5)

A = $2,550(1.03)^(1.5)

A = $2,550 * (1.045289)

A = $2665.4877

So the balance in the account after 1.5 years will be approximately $2,665.49.