Question

In 1626, Dutchman Peter Minuit purchased Manhattan Island from a local Native American tribe. Historians estimate that the price he paid for the island was about $24 worth of goods, including beads, trinkets, cloth, kettles, and axe heads. Many people find it laughable that Manhattan Island would be sold for $24, but you need to consider the future value (FV) of that price in more current times. If the $24 purchase price could have been invested at a 6% annual interest rate, what is its value as of 2018 (392 years later)?

Answer 1

Answer:

$199,576,970,307.56

Explanation:

Given:

Price paid for the island = $24

Annual interest rate, r = 6%

Duration, n = 392 years

Now,

Future value is given as:

Future value = Present value × ( 1 + r )ⁿ

on substituting the respective values, we get

Future value = $24 × ( 1 + 0.06 )³⁹²

or

Future value = $24 × 8315707096.148

or

Future value = $199,576,970,307.56