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      Simple interest calculations

      Lesson details

      Learning outcome

      I can carry out simple interest calculations.

      Key learning points

      1. Simple interest is calculated once and then added repeatedly.
      2. By considering the calculations for simple interest, you can be more efficient.
      3. Through understanding the structure, you can reverse the calculations to find the original amount.

      Keywords

      • Rate of interest - The rate of interest is the percentage by which an amount increases

      • Simple Interest - Interest is money added to savings or loans. Simple interest is always calculated on the original amount

      • Compound interest - Compound interest is the interest calculated on the original amount and the interest accumulated over the previous period.

      Common misconception

      Pupils should pay careful attention to what the question asks. Working out the overall amount after a simple or compound increase is different to working out the total interest only.

      Pupils can underline or highlight the key instruction to the question e.g. Total amount or total interest, to remind them of the need to subtract from the original amount or not.

      Teacher tip

      Pose the question, "If you have £100 in a bank account that offered x% simple interest rate per year over y years, how many different examples of x and y can pupils give so the overall money in the account is £180?"

      Licence

      This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0
      except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions
      (Collection 2).

      Lesson video

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      Prior knowledge starter quiz

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      Which statement is the equivalent of "Increase 76 by 30%"?

      Correct answer: Find 130% of 76
      Find 30% of 76
      Find 70% of 76

      Q2.
      If I increase £90 to £99, what is the percentage gain?

      Correct Answer: 10, 10%

      Q3.
      If you invest £500 for three years and receive 2% simple interest each year, how much will you have at the end?

      Correct Answer: 530, £530

      Q4.
      If I increase £70 to £86.10, what is the percentage gain?

      Correct Answer: 23, 23%

      Q5.
      Which statement is the equivalent of "Decrease 130 by 40%"?

      Work out 40% of 130
      Divide 130 by 40
      Correct answer: Work out 60% of 130

      Q6.
      If I increase £80 to £86.40, what is the percentage gain?

      Correct Answer: 8, 8%

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      If I invest £400 over 3 years at 2% interest, I have £424. Is this simple or compound interest?

      Correct answer: simple
      compound
      it could be either

      Q2.
      If I invest £600 over 2 years at 2.5% interest, I have £630.38. Is this simple or compound interest?

      simple
      Correct answer: compound
      it could be either

      Q3.
      If I invest £1500 over 5 years at 1.9% interest, I have £1642.50. Is this simple or compound interest?

      Correct answer: simple
      compound
      it could be either

      Q4.
      If I invest £10 over 2 years at 4% interest, I have £10.80. Is this simple or compound interest?

      Correct answer: simple
      compound
      it could be either

      Q5.
      If I invest £46.21 over 1 year at 4% interest, I have £48.06. Is this simple or compound interest?

      simple
      compound
      Correct answer: it could be either

      Q6.
      Which investment results in more money at the end: an investment of £30 at a rate of 2% simple interest for 4 years, or £30.50 at a rate of 3.5% compound interest for 2 years?

      The simple interest investment produces more money.
      Correct answer: The compound interest investment produces more money.

      To help you plan your 10 maths lesson on: Simple interest calculations, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...