A user, currently a Math major, is considering a double-major in Finance and seeks help with a finance-related math problem. They need to determine the original investment amount given that the total interest earned on an investment at an 8.2% interest rate, compounded semiannually over 8.5 years, was $1,175.98. A formula is provided for solving the problem: P = A(1 + r/m)^(-mt), where A is the total amount, r is the interest rate, m is the number of compounding periods per year, and t is the time in years. After applying the formula, the user calculates the original investment to be $1,200.