Occasionally a savings account may actually pay interest compounded continuously. For each​ deposit, find the interest earned if interest is compounded​ (a) semiannually,​ (b) quarterly,​ (c) monthly,​ (d) daily, and​ (e) continuously. Use 1 year=365 days.

Principal
Rate
Time
​$1006
1.6​%
2 years
Question content area bottom
Part 1
​(a) The interest earned if interest is compounded semiannually is ​$32.5832.58.
​(Do not round until the final answer. Then round to the nearest cent as​ needed.)
Part 2
​(b) The interest earned if interest is compounded quarterly is ​$enter your response here.
​(Do not round until the final answer. Then round to the nearest cent as​ needed.)

1 answer

To calculate the interest earned for each case, we'll use the formula for compound interest:

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

Where:
A = the final amount (including principal and interest)
P = the principal (initial deposit)
r = the annual interest rate (in decimal form)
n = number of times interest is compounded per year
t = the number of years

Given:
P = $1006
r = 1.6% = 0.016
t = 2 years

(a) Semiannually (n = 2):
A = 1006(1 + 0.016/2)^(2*2) - 1006
= 1006(1.008)^4 - 1006
= 1006(1.0326) - 1006
= $32.58 (rounded to the nearest cent)

(b) Quarterly (n = 4):
A = 1006(1 + 0.016/4)^(4*2) - 1006
= 1006(1.004)^8 - 1006
= 1006(1.0321) - 1006
= $32.11 (rounded to the nearest cent)

(c) Monthly (n = 12):
A = 1006(1 + 0.016/12)^(12*2) - 1006
= 1006(1.0013)^24 - 1006
= 1006(1.0315) - 1006
= $31.53 (rounded to the nearest cent)

(d) Daily (n = 365):
A = 1006(1 + 0.016/365)^(365*2) - 1006
= 1006(1.000043)^730 - 1006
= 1006(1.03125) - 1006
= $31.25 (rounded to the nearest cent)

(e) Continuously:
A = P * e^(rt)
= 1006 * e^(0.016*2) - 1006
= 1006 * e^(0.032) - 1006
= 1006 * 1.0325 - 1006
= $32.50 (rounded to the nearest cent)

Therefore, the interest earned if interest is compounded (b) quarterly is $32.11.