Question 1202635:  Ali invests $14 800 in an account that earns interest compounded semi-annually for 8 years. She then takes all the money, which amounts to $17 063.24, and invests it in an account that earns interest compounded quarterly for 6 years. After the 14 years, the account is worth $18 846.11. What annual interest rate was Ali earning on each of the accounts?  
 Answer by math_tutor2020(3817)      (Show Source): 
You can  put this solution on YOUR website!  
Compound interest formula 
A = P*(1+r/n)^(n*t)
 
 
A = final amount 
P = deposit 
r = annual interest rate in decimal form 
n = compounding frequency 
t = number of years
 
 
Use this given info 
"Ali invests $14,800 in an account that earns interest compounded semi-annually for 8 years...which amounts to $17,063.24" 
to determine: 
A = 17063.24 
P = 14800 
r = unknown 
n = 2 
t = 8
 
 
A = P*(1+r/n)^(n*t) 
17063.24 = 14800*(1+r/2)^(2*8) 
17063.24 = 14800*(1+r/2)^16 
17063.24/14800 = (1+r/2)^16 
1.15292162 = (1+r/2)^16 
(1+r/2)^16 = 1.15292162  
1+r/2 = (1.15292162)^(1/16)  
1+r/2 = 1.00893337 
r/2 = 1.00893337-1 
r/2 = 0.00893337 
r = 2*0.00893337 
r = 0.01786674 
r = 0.01787 
The first account has an annual rate of about 1.787%
 
 
 
For the 2nd account, Ali has: 
A = 18846.11 
P = 17063.24 
r = unknown 
n = 4 
t = 6
 
 
Caution: The instructions mention After the 14 years, but we will not use t = 14 for the 2nd account.  
The money sits in the 2nd account for 6 years and not 14. 
The 14 refers to 8 years + 6 years = 14 years total.
 
 
I'll skip the steps (since they will be similar to the ones shown above), but you should get r = 0.0166 to represent an annual rate of approximately 1.66% 
 
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