Investing · Foundations · Worksheet Generator
Return on Investment (ROI)
A worksheet lesson on ROI — the standard way investors measure how much money an investment earned or lost as a percentage of the original amount invested. Students work through the formula on real-world scenarios. Lesson reading is free; the customizable worksheet generator requires Full Membership.
What Students Learn
Learning objectives
- What an investor is and what return on investment (ROI) measures — the percentage gained or lost on money committed to an investment
- How to calculate ROI using the standard formula — final amount minus initial investment, divided by the initial investment, expressed as a percentage
- How a positive ROI represents a gain and a negative ROI represents a loss — with the magnitude showing how much
- How ROI relates to risk — higher-risk investments need higher expected ROI to compensate, and lower-risk investments accept lower expected ROI in exchange for stability
- How to compare investment options on an apples-to-apples basis using ROI rather than raw dollar amounts
- Why ROI alone does not tell the full story — time horizon, risk, and fees all need to be factored in
ROI = ((R − I) ÷ I) × 100Where R = money received after the investment and I = original amount invested. Result expressed as a percentage.
For Teachers
How to use this generator
This interactive generator creates customizable worksheets where students compute ROI for a series of scenarios. You can configure the number of questions, the initial investment amount ($10, $100, $1,000, or $10,000), whether to show the gain/loss amount or have students fill it in, and whether to print an answer key. The randomization means every printed copy is unique — useful for assessments or homework.
Worked example: John invests $100 in a mutual fund for one year. At the end of the year he has $108. ROI = (108 − 100) ÷ 100 = 0.08, or 8%. Walk through this once with the class, then let students try varying scenarios — including some where the investment lost money — so they see what a negative ROI looks like.
Best taught right after Risk and Return. Risk and return introduces the concept that returns vary; ROI gives students the math to actually measure those returns. Pair with stock-market and bond worksheets where students apply ROI to real investment scenarios.
Free Reading + Full Membership Worksheet
Return on Investment — Lesson + Interactive Worksheet Generator
The lesson reading and ROI formula explanation are free. The customizable, printable worksheet generator requires an active Money Instructor Full Membership.
Reading the lesson page is free. The worksheet generator requires a Money Instructor Full Membership.
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