Total assets = Total liabilities + Equity. The balance sheet is one of the key elements in the financial statements, of which the other documents are the income statement and the statement of cash flows. A statement of retained earnings may sometimes be attached.
Fixed Rate Defined. A fixed interest rate means that the interest rate that you will be charged over the term of your loan will not change, no matter how high or how low the market may drive interest rates. Your payment will remain the same on your last payment as it was on your first payment.
For any given interest rate and compounding frequency, an equivalent rate for any different compounding frequency exists. Compound interest may be contrasted with simple interest, where interest is not added to the principal (there is no compounding). Compound interest is standard in finance and economics, and simple interest is used infrequently (although certain financial products may contain elements of simple interest).