Initially, most of the payment covers interest, with a smaller portion going towards the principal.
As the loan progresses, the principal portion increases, and the interest portion decreases.
Paying an extra $100 per month reduces the principal faster, leading to less interest paid.
Paying an extra $100 per month also shortens the loan term to approximately 48 months.
The total interest paid is reduced, and the loan is paid off faster by making additional payments. Therefore, Molly would choose to pay an extra $100 per month.
Molly saves on interest and pays off the loan faster.
Explanation
Understanding the Loan Let's analyze Molly's car loan. She's borrowing $21 , 890 at a 6.6% annual interest rate for 60 months. We need to understand how the principal and interest portions of her monthly payments change over time and why she might choose to pay an extra $100 each month.
Principal vs. Interest At the beginning of the loan, a larger portion of each payment goes toward interest, and a smaller portion goes toward paying down the principal. This is because the interest is calculated on the remaining balance, which is higher at the start. As Molly makes payments, the balance decreases, so the amount of interest decreases, and more of each payment goes toward the principal. Looking at the provided amortization table, we can see this trend:
In April 2024, her payment of $486.21 consists of $349.86 towards principal and $136.34 towards interest.
By July 2024, the payment is still $486.21 , but the principal portion has increased to $355.67 , while the interest portion has decreased to $130.54 .
Benefits of Extra Payments Now, let's consider why Molly might choose to pay an extra $100 per month. By paying more each month, she reduces the principal balance faster. This has two main benefits:
Reduced Total Interest: Because the principal balance is decreasing more quickly, Molly will pay less interest over the life of the loan. The total interest paid on the original loan is approximately $3330.71 . By paying an extra $100 per month, the total interest paid is reduced to approximately $3011.29 .
Shorter Loan Term: Paying extra each month also shortens the loan term. Instead of taking 60 months to repay the loan, Molly can repay it in approximately 48 months by paying an extra $100 each month.
Conclusion In summary, Molly would choose to pay an extra $100 per month to save money on interest and pay off her car loan faster.
Examples
Consider a home mortgage. Initially, a large portion of your payment covers interest, with only a small amount reducing the principal. Over time, this shifts as the outstanding balance decreases. Making extra payments, even small ones, significantly reduces the total interest paid and shortens the loan term, saving you money and helping you own your home sooner. This principle applies to any amortizing loan, such as student loans or personal loans, where accelerating payments can lead to substantial long-term savings.
When a device delivers 15.0 A of current for 30 seconds, approximately 2.81 × 1 0 21 electrons flow through it. This is calculated by finding the total charge and then using the charge of a single electron to determine the number of electrons. Thus, the calculation shows a significant number of electrons participating in the current flow.
;