Suppose that a thirty-year U.S. Treasury bond offers a 4% coupon rate, paid semiannually. The market price of the bond is 1,000 equal to its par value.

a. What is the payback period for this bond?

b. With such a long payback period, is the bond a bad investment?

c. What is the discounted payback period for the bond, assuming its 4% coupon rate is the required return? What general principle does this example illustrate regarding a projects life, its discounted payback period, and its NPV.