You’ve decided to buy a house that is valued at $1 million. You have $200,000 to use as a down payment on the house, and want to take out a mortgage for the remainder of the purchase price. Your bank has approved your $800,000 mortgage, and is offering a standard 30-year mortgage at a 9% fixed nominal interest rate (called the loan’s annual percentage rate or APR). Under this loan proposal, your mortgage payment will be per month.

Your friends suggest that you take a 15-year mortgage, because a 30-year mortgage is too long and you will pay a lot of money on interest. If your bank approves a 15-year, $800,000 loan at a fixed nominal interest rate of 9% (APR), then the difference in the monthly payment of the 15-year mortgage and 30-year mortgage will be:

It is likely that you won't like the prospect of paying more money each month, but if you do take out a 15-year mortgage, you will make far fewer payments and will pay a lot less in interest. How much more total interest will you pay over the life of the loan if you take out a 30-year mortgage instead of a 15-year mortgage?

a. $1,010,987.89
b. $856,769.40
c. $1,182,341.77
d. $1,096,664.83