Mary and Michael are planning to borrow $5,000 from a friend…
Mary and Michael are planning to borrow $5,000 from a friend to consolidate some small debts. Their friend, understanding their financial situation, gave them a flexible repayment plan, allowing them to make quarterly payments of varying amounts within two years with simple interest of 5%. Additionally, interest will calculate only on the remaining outstanding principal, rather than the original loan amount. As they make payments, the principal decreases, which in turn reduces the interest charged in subsequent periods. Initially, Mary and Michael were concerned about the total interest they would accrue. They knew that even small, frequent payments would reduce the principal balance faster, leading to less interest paid overall. What type of interest arrangement they have agreed to?