Math Problem Statement
In a survey of consumers, 28% said they would be willing to pay $5000 more for a new car if the car had an EPA rating of 69 miles per gallon. If your car currently gets 22 miles per gallon and you drive approximately 10,000 miles per year, in how many months would your savings on gasoline pay for the increased cost of such a car? Assume the average cost of gasoline is $3.00 per gallon. Round to the nearest whole number
Solution
To solve this problem, we need to figure out how many months it would take for the savings on gasoline to cover the additional $5000 cost of the car.
Step 1: Calculate the current annual gasoline consumption.
Your car currently gets 22 miles per gallon, and you drive 10,000 miles per year. So, the amount of gasoline you currently use in a year is:
Step 2: Calculate the annual gasoline cost with your current car.
Given that the cost of gasoline is $3.00 per gallon, your current annual cost for gasoline is:
Step 3: Calculate the annual gasoline consumption with the new car.
The new car gets 69 miles per gallon. So, the amount of gasoline you would use in a year with the new car is:
Step 4: Calculate the annual gasoline cost with the new car.
The annual gasoline cost with the new car would be:
Step 5: Calculate the annual savings on gasoline.
The savings per year would be the difference between the annual gasoline cost of your current car and the new car:
Step 6: Calculate how long it will take to save $5000.
Now, divide the additional cost of the car ($5000) by the annual savings:
Step 7: Convert years into months.
Since there are 12 months in a year, the time in months is:
Conclusion:
It would take approximately 65 months for your savings on gasoline to pay for the increased cost of the car.
Would you like more details or have any questions?
Here are 5 related questions for further exploration:
- How would the savings change if the price of gasoline increased to $4.00 per gallon?
- What if your driving distance increased to 15,000 miles per year?
- How much would you save on gasoline over a 10-year period with the new car?
- What if the new car only had an EPA rating of 55 miles per gallon?
- How does the fuel efficiency of electric vehicles compare in cost savings over gasoline-powered cars?
Tip: Always consider future fluctuations in gasoline prices when calculating long-term savings.
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Math Problem Analysis
Mathematical Concepts
Proportions
Rate of change
Linear equations
Cost comparison
Formulas
Gasoline consumption = distance / miles per gallon
Annual gasoline cost = consumption * price per gallon
Annual savings = current cost - new cost
Months to cover cost = (extra cost / annual savings) * 12
Theorems
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Suitable Grade Level
Grades 9-12