Final answer:
Simple interest can be calculated using the formula I = PRT. For a $5,000 loan at 6% over three years, the interest is $900. To find the rate for a $10,000 loan that earned $500 over five years, the rate is 1%.
Step-by-step explanation:
The calculation of simple interest for various scenarios can be demonstrated with the given sums of money and interest rates. The formula for calculating simple interest is I = PRT, where I is the interest, P is the principal amount, R is the rate of interest per year, and T is the time period in years.
For example, to calculate the total amount of simple interest from a $5,000 loan after three years with a 6% simple interest rate, we use the formula:
I = $5,000 × 0.06 × 3 = $900
With a $10,000 loan for five years that gained $500 in simple interest, the interest rate charged can be found by rearranging the formula to solve for R:
R = I / (PT) = $500 / ($10,000 × 5) = 0.01 or 1%
Putting the formula into practice with a different example, a $100 deposit at a simple interest rate of 5% held for one year would earn:
$100 × 0.05 × 1 = $5