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Question

At what rate of interest per annum, compounded annually, will an amount of ₹8,000 yield a compound interest of ₹904.2 in 2 years?

The correct answer is

5.5%

Understanding the Compound Interest Problem

This question asks us to find the annual rate of interest when a principal amount of ₹8,000 grows over 2 years, compounded annually, resulting in a compound interest of ₹904.2.

Let's define the key terms involved in this compound interest problem:

  • Principal (P): The initial amount of money, which is ₹8,000.
  • Compound Interest (CI): The interest earned over the period, which is ₹904.2.
  • Time Period (n): The duration for which the money is invested or borrowed, which is 2 years.
  • Compounding Frequency: How often the interest is added to the principal. Here, it is compounded annually.
  • Rate of Interest (r): The percentage at which the interest is calculated annually. This is what we need to find.

Compound Interest Formula and Calculation

The formula for the amount (A) after \(n\) years when the principal (P) is compounded annually at an interest rate \(r\) (as a decimal) is:

\[A = P \left(1 + r\right)^n\]

The compound interest (CI) is the difference between the amount (A) and the principal (P):

\[CI = A - P\]

From the CI formula, we can also write \(A = P + CI\).

Given:

  • Principal (P) = ₹8,000
  • Compound Interest (CI) = ₹904.2
  • Time Period (n) = 2 years

First, let's calculate the total Amount (A) after 2 years:

\[A = P + CI\] \[A = ₹8,000 + ₹904.2\] \[A = ₹8,904.2\]

Now, we can substitute the values of A, P, and n into the main compound interest formula:

\[₹8,904.2 = ₹8,000 \left(1 + r\right)^2\]

To find the rate \(r\), we need to isolate \((1 + r)^2\):

\[\left(1 + r\right)^2 = \frac{8904.2}{8000}\]

Let's perform the division:

\[\left(1 + r\right)^2 = 1.113025\]

Now, take the square root of both sides to find \((1 + r)\):

\[\sqrt{\left(1 + r\right)^2} = \sqrt{1.113025}\] \[1 + r = 1.055\]

Finally, solve for \(r\):

\[r = 1.055 - 1\] \[r = 0.055\]

The rate \(r\) is in decimal form. To express it as a percentage, multiply by 100:

\[\text{Rate (in %)} = r \times 100\] \[\text{Rate (in %)} = 0.055 \times 100\] \[\text{Rate (in %)} = 5.5\%\]

So, the rate of interest per annum is 5.5%.

Checking the Options

Let's compare our calculated rate with the given options:

Option Rate
1 6%
2 8%
3 10%
4 5.5%

Our calculated rate of 5.5% matches Option 4.

Revision Table: Key Concepts Review

Concept Definition/Formula Value in this Problem
Principal (P) Initial amount ₹8,000
Compound Interest (CI) Interest on interest ₹904.2
Time (n) Duration 2 years
Amount (A) Principal + CI ₹8,904.2
Compound Interest Formula (Amount) \(A = P(1+r)^n\) \(8904.2 = 8000(1+r)^2\)
Rate (r) Annual interest rate (decimal) 0.055
Rate (%) Annual interest rate (percentage) 5.5%

Additional Information: Compound vs. Simple Interest

It's important to understand the difference between compound interest and simple interest.

  • Simple Interest: Interest is calculated only on the initial principal amount. The formula for simple interest is \(SI = \frac{P \times R \times T}{100}\), where P is principal, R is rate (percentage), and T is time. Simple interest is constant every year.
  • Compound Interest: Interest is calculated on the initial principal and also on the accumulated interest from previous periods. This means the principal amount grows over time, leading to exponential growth in the amount. In this problem, because it says "compounded annually", we used the compound interest formula.

Compound interest is generally more beneficial for investors than simple interest because the interest earns interest, leading to faster growth of the investment.

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Important Questions from Compound Interest

  1. The certain sum amounts to Rs. 9,982.50 in \(2\frac{1}{2}\)  years at 12% p.a., interest compounded 10-monthly. The sum (in Rs.) is:

  2. The difference between the simple interest and the compound interest compounded annually on a certain sum of money for 2 years at a rate of 8% per annum is Rs. 16.80. Find the principle amount. 

  3. If a sum of ₹ 2000 is lent at 10% p.a. compound interest, what is the interest for the second year?

  4. A sum becomes 5 times of itself in 3 years. at compound interest (interest is compounded annually). In how many years. will the sum becomes 125 times of itself?

  5. If the compound interest on a certain sum of money for two years at 9% p.a. is Rs. 3,762, then the sum is:

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