Interest Calculator Formula & How It Works
- P = Principal
- r = Annual interest rate (decimal)
- t = Time in years
- n = Compounding frequency (1=annual, 12=monthly, 365=daily)
Interest represents the cost of borrowed money or the reward for saving. Simple interest grows linearly; compound interest grows exponentially because earned interest is reinvested. The more frequently interest compounds, the faster the growth — daily compounding slightly outperforms monthly.