Step 1 :Given that the interest earned (I) is $75, the rate of interest (R) is 4.4% or 0.044, and the time (T) is 16 months or \(\frac{16}{12}\) years.
Step 2 :We need to find the principal amount (P) that should be invested. We can use the formula for simple interest, which is I = PRT, and rearrange it to solve for P: P = I / (RT).
Step 3 :Substituting the given values into the formula, we get P = 75 / (0.044 * \(\frac{16}{12}\)).
Step 4 :Solving the equation, we find that P is approximately 1278.41.
Step 5 :\(\boxed{1278.41}\) is the amount that should be invested to earn $75 interest in 16 months at a rate of 4.4%.