Given,
Future value is $8500
Interest rate: 5.2%.
Time: 4years.
Let the principal amount be P.
Now,
[tex]\begin{gathered} 8500-P=\frac{P\times4\times5.2}{100} \\ 8500-P=0.208P \\ 1.208P=8500 \\ P=\frac{8500}{1.208} \\ P=7036.4 \end{gathered}[/tex]Hence, the principal is $7036.4