A $15,000 T-bill is purchased at a 3.85% discount rate for 16 weeks. Find (a) the purchase price of the T-bill, (b) the maturity value, (c) the interest earned, (d) the effective rate of interest to the nearest hundredth of a percent.

To find the answers to the given questions, we can follow these steps:

Step 1: Determine the purchase price of the T-bill:
The T-bill was purchased at a discount rate of 3.85%. The purchase price is calculated by subtracting the discount from the face value of the T-bill.

The formula to calculate the purchase price is:
Purchase Price = Face Value - Discount

In this case, the face value of the T-bill is $15,000. So, the purchase price is calculated as follows:
Purchase Price = $15,000 - (3.85% * $15,000)

Step 2: Calculate the maturity value:
The maturity value of a T-bill is equal to the face value. In this case, the face value is $15,000.

Step 3: Calculate the interest earned:
The interest earned on a T-bill is calculated by subtracting the purchase price from the maturity value.

The formula for calculating the interest earned is:
Interest Earned = Maturity Value - Purchase Price

Step 4: Calculate the effective rate of interest:
The effective rate of interest is the annualized rate of return on the investment. Since the T-bill's holding period is 16 weeks, we need to convert it to a yearly basis.

The formula to calculate the effective rate of interest is:
Effective Rate of Interest = ((Maturity Value - Purchase Price) / Purchase Price) * (52 / Holding Period)

Where Holding Period represents the number of weeks the T-bill is held.

Now let's calculate the answers to the given questions:

(a) Purchase Price:
Purchase Price = $15,000 - (3.85% * $15,000)

(b) Maturity Value:
Maturity Value = $15,000

(c) Interest Earned:
Interest Earned = Maturity Value - Purchase Price

(d) Effective Rate of Interest:
Effective Rate of Interest = ((Maturity Value - Purchase Price) / Purchase Price) * (52 / Holding Period)

Note: In this case, the Holding Period is given as 16 weeks.