If you buy a share of stock for $15 and sell it two years later for $18.50, what is the annual percent return (on a compounded basis) that you received for your investment?

11%

Explanation:

Compounding is the method used to determine the future worth of an amount today while discounting is the method used to determine the present value of a future amount.

Both are related by

Fv = Pv (1 + r) ^n

where Fv is the future amount

Pv is the present value

r = rate

n = time

As such,

18.5 = 15 (1 + r) ^2

1.2333 = (1 + r) ^2

1 + r = 1.11

r = 0.11

the annual percent on returns is 11%