Let's break the problem into two parts:

Part 1: Calculating the total fuel needed

The trip is from Morrisville, New York to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, with a one-way distance of 788 miles.

• The car has an EPA highway rating of 41 miles per gallon (mpg).
• Total distance for the round trip (there and back) is $788 \times 2 = 1576$ miles.

To calculate the total fuel needed:

$\text{Fuel needed} = \frac{\text{Total distance}}{\text{Miles per gallon}} = \frac{1576}{41} \approx 38.44 \, \text{gallons}$

Part 2: Calculating the total fuel cost

• Fuel costs $3.85 per gallon.
• Total fuel cost:

$\text{Total cost} = \text{Fuel needed} \times \text{Fuel cost per gallon} = 38.44 \times 3.85 \approx 148.98 \, \text{USD}$

Conclusion:

• Total fuel needed: 38.44 gallons
• Total fuel cost: $148.98

Would you like any more details or explanations on this? Here are some related questions:

1. What is the average fuel consumption for other types of vehicles on this trip?
2. How would driving conditions affect the actual fuel consumption?
3. What impact would taking a longer route have on fuel costs?
4. How much money would you save if fuel prices dropped by 10%?
5. What would be the fuel cost if your car had a highway rating of 35 mpg instead?

Tip: Checking your tire pressure regularly can help improve fuel efficiency on long trips.