What is the factor name of the formula (1 + i)^(-n)?

The formula ( (1 + i)^{-n} ) represents the process of discounting a future sum of money back to its present value. This is a fundamental concept in engineering economics, where understanding the time value of money is crucial for making sound financial decisions.

In this context, the term "Single payment present worth" accurately describes the factor used in the formula. It specifically refers to the present worth of a single future payment, discounted back to its present value at a given interest rate ( i ) over ( n ) periods.

The formula can be understood as follows: if you want to know how much a future payment (let's say $1 in the future) is worth today, you would apply the discount factor ( (1 + i)^{-n} ). This factor tells you how to convert the future value to its equivalent present value, making it essential for evaluating investments, loans, and various economic scenarios.

The other terms mentioned in the options represent different financial calculations. Uniform gradient future worth refers to a series of cash flows of consistent amounts, capital recovery deals with the recovery of invested capital over time, and single payment compound amount focuses on calculating the future value of a single amount invested today over a certain number