Grade 8 → Comparing Quantities → Percentage ↓
Simple Interest
Simple interest is a concept used in finance and mathematics to calculate the interest earned or charged on a principal amount over time. It is called "simple" because it is simple to calculate and is not compounded, meaning it is based only on the principal amount. Let's understand this concept in depth.
What is simple interest?
Simple interest is calculated using a formula that relies on three major components:
- Principal (P): It is the initial amount of money that is either invested or borrowed.
- Rate of Interest (R): It is the percentage of the principal amount charged as interest for a specific period.
- Time (T): It is the period for which money is borrowed or invested, usually expressed in years.
The formula for simple interest is given as:
Simple Interest (SI) = (P × R × T) / 100
This formula will help you figure out the additional money, called "interest," either earned on an investment or paid on a loan.
Analysis of the formula
Principal
The principal amount is the initial value, and it depends on whether you are dealing with a loan or an investment. For example, if you deposit $1000 in a bank account, $1000 will be your principal amount.
Interest rate
The interest rate is expressed as a percentage. If the interest rate is 5%, it means that 5% of the principal amount will be charged as interest for each time period (usually annually).
Time
Time is the period for which money is invested or borrowed. It is usually measured in years. If the time is given in months or days, you need to convert it to years.
Example calculation
Let's put this into practice with some examples:
Example 1: Calculation of simple interest
Suppose you deposit $2000 in a savings account with a 4% annual interest rate for a period of 3 years. How much interest will you earn?
Using the simple Interest Formula:
P = $2000, R = 4%, T = 3 years
SI = (2000 × 4 × 3) / 100
SI = 240
The interest earned would be $240.
Example 2: Using different time frames
If you borrow $1500 at an interest rate of 6% for 1 year and 6 months, how will you calculate the interest?
Convert 1 year and 6 months to years:
T = 1 + 6/12 = 1.5 years
Now use the formula:
P = $1500, R = 6%, T = 1.5 years
SI = (1500 × 6 × 1.5) / 100
SI = 135
The interest to be paid is $135.
Visual representation
This diagram shows the growth of simple interest over three years. Every year the same amount of interest is added to the principal.
Why use simple interest?
Simple interest is useful for quick calculations and is used when interest is not accrued on interest already earned. It is commonly used in short-term loans and to teach basic financial concepts.
Real life applications of simple interest
Understanding simple interest is important in many real-life scenarios. Here are some examples:
- Car loans: Many car loans use simple interest to determine how much finance charge you'll pay.
- Savings accounts: Some savings accounts may use simple interest to calculate interest earned, particularly if compound interest is not specified.
- Short-term personal loans: Small personal loans of short duration often use simple interest calculations.
More examples
Example 3: Finding the principal
If the simple interest earned at 5% in 3 years is $450, what was the principal amount?
You can rearrange the simple interest formula to solve for the principal:
SI = (P × R × T) / 100
450 = (P × 5 × 3) / 100
P = (450 × 100) / (5 × 3)
P = $3000
The principal was $3000.
Example 4: Scheduling time
How long will it take for an investment of $1000 to earn $200 in simple interest at 4% per annum?
Rearrange the formula to solve for time:
SI = (P × R × T) / 100
200 = (1000 × 4 × T) / 100
T = (200 × 100) / (1000 × 4)
T = 5 years
It will take 5 years to earn $200.
Limitations of simple interest
While simple interest is easy to calculate, it does not take into account interest on interest earned, which is a limitation in scenarios where compound interest is used. For long-term financial products such as retirement accounts or long-term loans, compound interest provides a more accurate picture of financial income or fees over time.
Key takeaways
- Calculation of simple interest is simple and easy.
- It is useful for teaching short term loans and basic financial concepts.
- It depends on the principal amount, interest rate and time period.
- This does not take into account the compounding effect of interest.
Understanding simple interest is a fundamental step to understanding more complex financial concepts such as compound interest and other investment instruments.