Final answer:
To determine the miles driven, subtract the fixed charge of $35.50 from the total cost of $60.25, and then divide the result by the per mile charge of $0.15. The student drove 165 miles.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the number of miles driven based on the rental cost, we'll need to set up an equation. The cost of renting a car is given by a fixed charge plus a charge per mile. In this case, the fixed charge is $35.50 and the cost per mile is $0.15. If the total cost of the rental was $60.25, we can write the following equation to represent the situation:
35.50 + 0.15m = 60.25
where m is the number of miles driven. To solve for m, we subtract the fixed cost from both sides of the equation and then divide by the cost per mile:
0.15m = 60.25 - 35.50
m = (60.25 - 35.50) / 0.15
m = 24.75 / 0.15
m = 165 miles
Therefore, the student drove 165 miles.