Final answer:
The student's question relates to the fuel efficiency comparison between a car and an airplane. A car gets 24 m.p.g., and considered equivalent in fuel use to an airplane with 72 m.p.g. per passenger when at 80% capacity. It is possible to find cars, especially hybrids or electric vehicles, that can meet or exceed this level of fuel efficiency.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question seems to contain a typo or irrelevant information regarding airplane seats and the comparison of fuel efficiency between an airplane and a car. Rather than focusing on the number of seats on the airplane, the question appears to relate to determining if a car can be more fuel efficient than an airplane under certain circumstances. Specifically, it addresses whether a car that achieves 24 m.p.g. is more fuel-efficient than an airplane that achieves 90 m.p.g. per passenger when the airplane is 80% full, resulting in an effective fuel economy of 72 m.p.g. per passenger. To assess this, one must consider the fuel economy of both modes of transportation and their respective passenger capacities.
When the airplane is 80% full, its fuel efficiency drops to 72 m.p.g. per passenger. Comparatively, a car with a fuel efficiency of 24 m.p.g. would be equivalent in fuel expenditure for three people. Thus, it may seem challenging to find cars with fuel economies that exceed 72 m.p.g. per passenger. However, this efficiency is achievable with modern hybrid or electric vehicles that often surpass the given fuel economy standards, making it plausible for a car to use less fuel per person than an 80% full airplane.