What Is The Formula For Interest

Discover the formula for interest with ease. Whether it's simple interest or compound interest, understand the calculations effortlessly.
Personal loan
5 min read
03 February 2024

Interest on a personal loan is the additional amount charged by lenders for borrowing funds. This rate typically varies based on factors like creditworthiness, loan amount, and repayment period. Borrowers repay the personal loan in monthly instalments, covering both principal and interest. Fixed-rate personal loans maintain a constant interest rate, ensuring predictable payments, while variable-rate loans may fluctuate based on market conditions. A higher credit score often results in a lower interest rate, reflecting a borrower's perceived creditworthiness.

Bajaj Finance Limited is offering personal loans with competitive interest rates, minimal documentation requirements and simple eligibility criteria.

What is the formula for interest?

The formula for calculating personal loan interest is typically based on simple interest. It is expressed as I = P * R * T, where I is the interest, P is the principal loan amount, R is the annual interest rate, and T is the time the loan is borrowed or invested for, usually in years.

For compound interest, the formula is A = P * (1 + r/n)^(nt), where A is the future value of the investment/ loan, P is the principal amount, r is the annual interest rate (as a decimal), n is the number of times that interest is compounded per unit time, and t is the time the money is invested or borrowed for in years.

What are the types of interest?

Interest comes in two primary forms: simple interest and compound interest. Simple interest is calculated on the original principal amount over time, using the formula I = P * R * T, where I is the interest, P is the principal, R is the rate of interest, and T is the time. On the other hand, compound interest involves not only the initial principal but also the accumulated interest from previous periods. The compound interest formula is A = P * (1 + r/n)^(nt), where A is the future value, P is the principal, r is the interest rate, n is the compounding frequency, and t is time.

What is the difference between simple interest and compound interest?

Simple interest and compound interest are financial mechanisms used to calculate the cost or return on an investment or loan.

A simple interest is straightforward, computed linearly on the principal amount over time. Simple interest does not consider the interest earned or incurred in previous periods, resulting in a linear calculation. This straightforward approach makes it easy to understand and is commonly used in various financial transactions, such as loans and certain investments.

In contrast, compound interest involves the compounding of interest over specified intervals. Compound interest is powerful, as it factors in both the original principal and the accumulated interest, leading to exponential growth or cost over time. This power of compounding effect often results in higher returns on investments or increased costs on loans compared to simple interest.

If you are planning on taking a personal loan, the interest calculation on your borrowed amount may not be as easy as simple interest. Therefore, we advise you to calculate your EMI estimates using a personal loan EMI calculator. All you have to do is enter the loan amount, tenure, and interest rate to get an accurate calculation.

Apply now and get the best deal on our personal loan.

Disclaimer

1. Bajaj Finance Limited (“BFL”) is a Non-Banking Finance Company (NBFC) and Prepaid Payment Instrument Issuer offering financial services viz., loans, deposits, Bajaj Pay Wallet, Bajaj Pay UPI, bill payments and third-party wealth management products. The details mentioned in the respective product/ service document shall prevail in case of any inconsistency with respect to the information referring to BFL products and services on this page.

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Frequently asked questions

How is my interest calculated?

Interest on loans is typically calculated using the principal amount, interest rate, and time period. The formula for simple interest is: Interest = (Principal × Rate × Time) / 100.

What is the formula for personal loan interest?

The formula for calculating interest on a personal loan is Interest = (Principal × Rate × Time) / 100.

How is monthly interest calculated?

Monthly interest is calculated by dividing the annual interest rate by 12, and then multiplying it by the outstanding loan balance for that month.

How do you calculate interest per annum?

To calculate interest per annum, simply multiply the outstanding loan balance by the annual interest rate, expressed as a decimal.

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