Question

A new car is purchased for $49,000 and over time its value depreciates by one half every 5 years. What is the value of the car 21 years after it was purchased, to the nearest hundred dollars?

Answer 1

Principal: $49,000

Depreciation Rate: 50%

Depreciation Time: 5 years

Exponential Function: y = 49,000 (0.50)^x

Plug it in: y = 49,000 (0.50)^4

0.5^4= 0.0625

0.0625 x 49,000 = 3062.5

Value of Car after 20 years: 3062.5

Now, we need to find out how much the car decreases in ONE year.

Half of 3062.5 = 1531.25

1531.25/5 = 306.25

3062.5 - 306.25 = 2756.25

Value of car after 21 years: $2756 ---> 2800 (nearest hundred dollars my bad)

Hope this helps! Have a great day!