Problema Solution

If 5000 dollars is invested in a bank account at an interest rate of 10 per cent per year, compounded continuously. How many years will it take for your balance to reach 40000 dollars?

NOTE: Give your answer to the nearest tenth of a year.

Answer provided by our tutors

P = $5,000 the money invested


r = 0.10 that is 10% annual interest rate


A = $40,000 the future or maturity value after t years


e = 2.718281828 is Napier's constant


t = ? number of years we need to find


A = P*e^(r*t)


40000 = 5000*e^(0.1t)


e^(0.1t) = 40000/5000


e^(0.1t) = 8


e^(0.1t) = 2^3 use ln on both sides


0.1t = 3ln2


t = 0.1*3ln2


t = 30*ln2


t = 20.8 years to the nearest tenth


it will take 20.8 years for the balance to reach $40,000.