How To Calculate A Car Loan

Auto loan information and resources.

Moderator: Loan Experts

How To Calculate A Car Loan

Postby trevorlawrence on March 13th, 2010, 2:44 am

Following the steps below will allow you to figure the interest rate on a simple auto loan.

Write down the amount you borrowed at the top left of the paper and label it "principal." For example, "principal = $4,500."

Write the amount of interest you will pay for the loan on the top right of the page and label it "total interest." For example, "total interest = $500."

Write this formula in the middle of your page: "Interest rate % = total interest $ / (slash means divided by) principal $."

Rewrite the formula under the equation you just wrote, substituting the numbers you have written at the top of your page for "principal" and "total interest." For example, "Interest rate % = $500 / $4,500."

Divide the principal into the interest. Write the answer down as a complete formula. For example, "0.11 = $500 / $4,500."

Convert the fraction to a percentage by moving the decimal place two numbers to the right. Drop the zeros that now precede the decimal point and add a percentage symbol (for example, "0.11 = $500 / $4,500" becomes "interest rate = 11% = $500 / $4,500"). Write the new formula at the bottom of your formula list. You have computed the loan's interest rate, and you created a paper trail showing how you did it.


If you do not have a calculator, you can do the math on the paper. You will always divide the smaller number by the larger. If your result is a whole number instead of a fraction (all the numbers to the right of the decimal point), you have divided the smaller into the larger. Reverse yourself and do it again. If there are still numbers to the right of the decimal place after you've converted the fraction to a percentage, you can round up or down. For example, 11.256972 percent rounds to 11 or 11.3 percent. When you know the amount of any two of the three values, you can find the third by shifting the equation around and following the steps outlined above. To find the total interest, use "total interest = interest rate (expressed as a fraction) multiplied by the principal." To find principal, use the formula "principal = (total interest multiplied by 100) divided by the rate."
trevorlawrence
 
Posts: 3
Joined: March 12th, 2010, 5:40 am

Re: How To Calculate A Car Loan

Postby EnriqueHajela on May 2nd, 2010, 2:37 pm

Thanks for such a useful information, this is really a very helpful post.
Calculating car loan is now very easy because you give here a good method with good formula.
EnriqueHajela
 
Posts: 10
Joined: May 1st, 2010, 3:03 pm


Return to Auto Loans

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 0 guests