Matthew gets £100 for his 16th birthday and chooses to invest the money into a bank with a 2% annual interest rate. By which birthday will Matthew have more than £150 in his account?

This a geometric sequence with first term 'a' as 100 and common ratio 'r' of 1.02. 100 x 1.02n > 150 1.02n > 150/100 =1.02n > 1.5 log10(1.02n) > log10(1.5) Using power rule, n[log10(1.02)] > log10(1.5) n > log10(1.5)/log10(1.02) Using calculator, n > 20.47531886 This means the amount exceeds £150 after 21 years. 16 + 21 = 37 Therefore, the answer is: by Matthew's 37th birthday, the amount exceeds £150.

Answered by Maths tutor

3901 Views

See similar Maths A Level tutors

Related Maths A Level answers

All answers ▸

A line has equation y = 2x + c and a curve has equation y = 8 − 2x − x^2, if c=11 find area between the curves


Prove that sec^2(θ) + cosec^2(θ) = sec^2(θ) * cosec^2(θ)


Find the tangent of the following curve, y=xe^x, at x=1 expressing it in the form y=mx+c?


Consider the unit hyperbola, whose equation is given by x^2 - y^2 = 1. We denote the origin, (0, 0) by O. Choose any point P on the curve, and label its reflection in the x axis P'. Show that the line OP and the tangent line to P' meet at a right angle.


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2026 by IXL Learning