Question

You are running a fuel economy study. One of the cars you find is blue. It can travel 30 1/2, miles on 1 1/4 gallons of gasoline. Another car is red. It can travel 24 4/5= miles on 4/5 gallon of gasoline. What is the unit rate for miles per gallon for each car? Which car could travel the greater distance on 1 gallon of gasoline?

Answer 1

Daniel, this is the solution to the problem:

Step 1: Let's review the information given to us to answer the problem correctly:

• Blue car can travel 30 1/2 miles using 1 1/4 gallons of gasoline.

,

• Red car can travel 24 4/5 miles using 4/5 gallon of gasoline.

Step 2: Let's find the unit rate for miles per gallon for each car using Direct Rule of Three, as follows:

Blue car:

30 1/2 = 30.5

1 1/4 = 1.25

Miles Gasoline

30.5 1.25

x 1

_____________

1.25x = 30.5 * 1

1.25x = 30.5

Dividing by 1.25 at both sides:

1.25x/1.25 = 30.5/1.25

x = 24.4 or 24 2/5 miles per gallon (blue car)

Red car:

24 4/5 = 24.8

4/5 = 0.8

Miles Gasoline

24.8 0.8

x 1

______________

0.8x = 24.8 * 1

0.8x = 24.8

Dividing by 0.8 at both sides:

0.8x/0.8 = 24.8/0.8

x = 31 miles per gallon (red car)