(Amortization Word Problems)
To solve an exponential or logarithmic word problem, convert the
narrative to an equation and solve the equation.
There is a relationship between the mortgage amount, the number
of payments, the amount of the payment, how often the payment
is made, and the interest rate. The following formulas illustrate
the relationship:
where P = the payment, r = the annual rate, M = the mortgage
amount, t = the number of years, and n = the number of payments
per year.
Problem 3: Suppose a bank offers you a 10% interest rate on a
20-year mortgage to be paid back with monthly payments. Suppose the
most you can afford to pay in monthly payments is $700. How much of
a mortgage could you afford?
Answer: $72,537.23
Solution and Explanations:
10% for r (the annual interest rate), 20 for t (the term of the mortgage in years), 12 for n (the number of payments per year, and $700 for P (the monthly payment), You are solving for M (the mortgage amount)
or 0.863538488989:
The most you afford for a mortgage, given your constraints, is $72,537.23.
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Author: Nancy Marcus