document.write( "Question 519354: http://www.algebra.com/tutors/students/ask.mpl
\n" ); document.write( "How long will it take a $500 investment to be worth $700 if it is coninuously compounded at 10% per year?
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Algebra.Com's Answer #345543 by jim_thompson5910(35256)\"\" \"About 
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\n" ); document.write( "\"A=Pe%5E%28rt%29\" Start with the continuous compounding formula.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"700=500%2Ae%5E%280.1%2At%29\" Plug in \"A=700\", \"P=500\", and \"r=0.1\" (the decimal equivalent of 10%).\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"700%2F500=e%5E%280.1%2At%29\" Divide both sides by \"500\".\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"1.4=e%5E%280.1%2At%29\" Evaluate \"700%2F500\" to get \"1.4\".\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"ln%281.4%29=ln%28e%5E%280.1%2At%29%29\" Take the natural log of both sides.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"ln%281.4%29=0.1%2At%2Aln%28e%29\" Pull down the exponent using the identity \"ln%28x%5Ey%29=y%2Aln%28x%29%29\".\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"ln%281.4%29=0.1%2At%2A1\" Evaluate the natural log of 'e' to get 1.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"ln%281.4%29=0.1%2At\" Multiply and simplify.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"0.336472236621213=0.1%2At\" Evaluate the natural log of \"1.4\" to get \"0.336472236621213\" (this value is approximate).\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"0.336472236621213%2F0.1=t\" Divide both sides by \"0.1\" to isolate 't'.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"3.36472236621213=t\" Evaluate \"0.336472236621213%2F0.1\" to get \"3.36472236621213\".\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"t=3.36472236621213\" Flip the equation.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So it will take roughly 3.36 years.
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