To formulate a polynomial \( C(x) \) that represents the final amount of your investment, we need to consider the contributions made at different times and how they accumulate over the investment period, factoring in the interest rate \( r \).
Given that \( x = 1 + r \):
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Initial deposit of $500 at the beginning of the first year: This amount will earn interest for 8 years. Therefore, its future value at the end of 8 years will be: \[ 500 \cdot x^8 \]
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Deposit of $800 at the beginning of the fourth year: This amount will earn interest for 5 years (from the start of the fourth year to the end of the eighth year). Thus, its future value will be: \[ 800 \cdot x^5 \]
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Deposit of $370 at the beginning of the eighth year: This amount will only be present for the eighth year (it doesn't earn any interest). Therefore, its future value is just: \[ 370 \]
Now, we combine these contributions to form the total amount after 8 years:
\[ C(x) = 500x^8 + 800x^5 + 370 \]
This polynomial \( C(x) \) represents the final amount of the investment after 8 years, where \( x = 1 + r \).