6.2: Determining the Future (Maturity) Value
Formula & Symbol Hub
For this section you will need the following:
Symbols Used
Compounds per year Future value or maturity value Periodic interest rate Nominal interest rate per year Total number of compounding periods Present value or principal value
Formulas Used
-
Formula 6.1 – Periodic Interest Rate
-
Formula 6.2a – Number of Compound Periods
-
Formula 6.2b – Future (Maturity) Value
Determining the Future (Maturity) Value
The simplest future value scenario for compound interest is for all of the variables to remain unchanged throughout the entire transaction. To understand the derivation of the formula, continue with the following scenario. If
Principal after one compounding period (six months) = Principal plus interest:
Now proceed to the next six months. The future value after two compounding periods (one year) is calculated in the same way.
Note that the equation
Since the
Simplifying algebraically, you get:
Do you notice a pattern? With one compounding period, the formula has only one
The Formula
First, you need to know how many times interest is converted to principal throughout the transaction. You can then calculate the future value. Use Formula 6.2a below to determine the number of compound periods involved in the transaction.
Number of Compound Periods
Once you know
Future (Maturity) Value
Key Takeaways
Calculating the Interest Amount ( )
In any situation of lump-sum compound interest, you can isolate the interest amount using the formula
HOW TO
Calculate the Future Value of a Singe Payment
Follow these steps to calculate the future value of a single payment:
Step 1: Calculate the periodic interest rate using Formula 6.1:
Step 2: Calculate the total number of compound periods (
Step 3: Calculate the future value using Formula 6.2b:
Note: You will first need to calculate
Your BAII Plus Calculator
We will be using the function keys that are presented in the third row of your calculator, known as the

The table below relates each button (variable) to its meaning:
Variable | Meaning |
---|---|
N | Number of compounding periods |
I/Y | Interest rate per year (nominal interest rate). This is entered in percent form (without the % sign). For example, 5% is entered as 5. |
PV | Present value or principal |
PMT | Periodic annuity payment. For lump sum payments set this variable to zero. |
FV |
Future value or maturity value.
|
C/Y | Pressing 2ND key then I/Y will open the P/Y worksheet. P/Y stands for periodic payments per year and this will be covered in annuities. We only need to assign a value for C/Y as the calculation does not involve an annuity. We need to set payments per year (P/Y) to the same value as the number of compounding periods per year (C/Y) then press ENTER. When you scroll down (using the down arrow key), you will notice that C/Y will automatically be set to the same value. Pressing 2nd then CPT (Quit button) will close the worksheet. |
Cash Flow Sign Convention
Calculating FV (PV is given)
For investments: When money is invested (paid-out), this amount is considered as a cash-outflow and this amount has to be entered as a negative number for
For Loans: When money is received (loaned), this amount is considered as a cash-inflow and this amount has to be entered as a positive number for
Calculating PV (FV is given)
For investments: When you receive your matured investment at the end of the term this is considered as a cash-inflow for you and the future value should be entered as a positive amount.
For Loans: When the loan is repaid at the end of the term this is considered as a cash-outflow for you and the future value should be entered as a negative amount.
Key Takeaways
When you compute solutions on the BAII Plus calculator, one of the most common error messages displayed is “Error 5.” This error indicates that the cash flow sign convention has been used in a manner that is financially impossible. Some examples of these financial impossibilities include loans with no repayment or investments that never pay out. In these cases, the
BAII Plus Memory
Your calculator has permanent memory. Once you enter data into any of the time value buttons it is permanently stored until
-
- You override it by entering another piece of data and pressing the button;
- You clear the memory of the time value buttons by pressing 2nd CLR TVM before proceeding with another question; or
- The reset button on the back of the calculator is pressed.
Example 6.2.1
If you invested
Solution
The timeline for the investment is below.

Step 1: Given information:
Step 2: Calculate the periodic interest rate,
Step 3: Calculate the total number of compoundings,
Step 4: Solve for the future value,
Step 5: Find the interest earned.
Calculator instructions:
N | I/Y | PV | PMT | FV | P/Y | C/Y |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
40 | 9 | -5,000 | 0 | ? | 12 | 12 |
Step 6: Write as a statement.
After
Future Value Calculations with Variable Changes
What happens if a variable such as the nominal interest rate, compounding frequency, or even the principal changes somewhere in the middle of the transaction? When any variable changes, you must break the timeline into separate time fragments at the point of the change. To arrive at the solution, you need to work from left to right one time segment at a time using Formula 6.2b
HOW TO
Calculate Future Value From Lump-Sum Compound Interest
Follow these steps when variables change in calculations of future value based on lump-sum compound interest:
Step 1: Read and understand the problem. Identify the present value. Draw a timeline broken into separate time segments at the point of any change. For each time segment, identify any principal changes, the nominal interest rate, the compounding frequency, and the length of the time segment in years.
Step 2: For each time segment, calculate the periodic interest rate (
Step 3: For each time segment, calculate the total number of compound periods (
Step 4: Starting with the present value in the first time segment (starting on the left), solve for the future value using Formula 6.2b
Step 5: Let the future value calculated in the previous step become the present value for the next step. If the principal changes, adjust the new present value accordingly.
Step 6: Using Formula 6.2b
Step 7: Repeat Steps 5 and 6 until you obtain the final future value from the final time segment.
Key Takeaways
The BAII Plus Calculator:
Transforming the future value from one time segment into the present value of the next time segment does not require re-entering the computed value. Instead, apply the following technique:
- Load the calculator with all known compound interest variables for the first time segment.
- Compute the future value at the end of the segment.
- With the answer still on your display, adjust the principal if needed, change the cash flow sign by pressing the ± key, and then store the unrounded number back into the present value button by pressing
. Change the , , and as required for the next segment. - Return to step 2 for each time segment until you have completed all time segments.
Concept Check
Example 6.2.2
Five years ago Coast Appliances was supposed to upgrade one of its facilities at a quoted cost of
Solution
The timeline below shows the original quote from five years ago until today.

Step 1: First time segment:
Find
This becomes
Step 2: Second line segment:
Find
This becomes
Step 3: Third line segment:
Find
The future value is
Calculator instruction:
Step | N | I/Y | PV | PMT | FV | P/Y | C/Y |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 6 | 6 | 48,500 | 0 | ? | 4 | 4 |
2 | 5 | 7 | 52,485.27667 | 0 | ? | 2 | 2 |
3 | 12 | 7.5 | 62,336.04435 | 0 | ? | 12 | 12 |
Step 4: Write as a statement.
Coast Appliances requires
Example 6.2.3
Two years ago Lorelei placed
Solution
The timeline for the investment is below.

Step 1: First time segment:
Find
This becomes
Step 2: Second line segment:
Find
The future value is
Calculator instructions:
Step | N | I/Y | PV | PMT | FV | P/Y | C/Y |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 24 | 6 | -2,000 | 0 | ? | 12 | 12 |
2 | 36 | 6 | -3,754.319552 | 0 | ? | 12 | 12 |
Step 3: Write as a statement.
Three years from now Lorelei will have
Section 6.2 Exercises
In each of the exercises that follow, try them on your own. Full solutions are available should you get stuck.
- Find the future value if
is invested at compounded monthly for years and months.
Solution
Step 1: Given information:
; ; ;Step 2: Find
.Step 3: Find
.Step 4: Solve for
.Step 5: Write as a statement.
The future value is
.Calculator instructions:
- Find the future value if
is invested at compounded annually for years; then compounded quarterly for year, months; then compounded monthly for year, months.
Solution
Step 1: Find
.Step 2: Find
.Step 3: Find
Step 4: Write as a statement.
The future value is
.Calculator Instructions:
- Nirdosh borrowed
at compounded semi-annually years ago. The interest rate changed to compounded quarterly years ago. What amount of money today is required to pay off this loan?
Solution
Step 1: Find
.Step 2: Find
.Step 3: Write as a statement.
It is required today
to pay off the loan.Calculator Instructions for Step 1 and Step 2:
Step 1:
Step 2:
THE FOLLOWING LATEX CODE IS FOR FORMULA TOOLTIP ACCESSIBILITY. NEITHER THE CODE NOR THIS MESSAGE WILL DISPLAY IN BROWSER.
Attribution
“9.2 Determining the Future (Maturity) Value” from Business Math: A Step-by-Step Handbook Abridged by Sanja Krajisnik; Carol Leppinen; and Jelena Loncar-Vines is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.