In planning a Thanksgiving vacation, you want to rent a car for a week and travel the Pacific Highway from San Francisco to San Diego. You want to return to San Francisco via Las Vegas, Death Valley, and Yosemite National Park. This trip covers approximately 1,500 miles. You plan to return the car with a full tank of gasoline. You are considering the following options.
- Toyota Camry, 33 mpg, and all other costs totaling $553.28
- Toyota Prius Hybrid, 48 mpg, and all other costs totaling $804.61
In both cases, you mush purchase gasoline, which costs $3.80 per gallon.

To determine which car option is more cost-effective for your planned trip, we need to calculate the total cost for each car, including the cost of gasoline. Here’s the detailed breakdown:

### 1. **Calculate Gasoline Costs for Each Car**

First, we need to determine how many gallons of gasoline each car will consume over the 1,500 miles trip.

#### Toyota Camry:
- **Mileage:** 33 mpg
- **Gasoline Price:** $3.80 per gallon
- **Total Distance:** 1,500 miles

\[ \text{Gallons needed} = \frac{\text{Total Distance}}{\text{Mileage}} = \frac{1500 \text{ miles}}{33 \text{ mpg}} \approx 45.45 \text{ gallons} \]

\[ \text{Gasoline cost} = 45.45 \text{ gallons} \times \$3.80/\text{gallon} \approx \$172.71 \]

#### Toyota Prius Hybrid:
- **Mileage:** 48 mpg
- **Gasoline Price:** $3.80 per gallon
- **Total Distance:** 1,500 miles

\[ \text{Gallons needed} = \frac{\text{Total Distance}}{\text{Mileage}} = \frac{1500 \text{ miles}}{48 \text{ mpg}} \approx 31.25 \text{ gallons} \]

\[ \text{Gasoline cost} = 31.25 \text{ gallons} \times \$3.80/\text{gallon} \approx \$118.75 \]

### 2. **Calculate Total Costs for Each Car**

Now, we add the gasoline costs to the other costs for each car.

#### Toyota Camry:
- **Other Costs:** $553.28
- **Gasoline Cost:** $172.71

\[ \text{Total Cost} = \$553.28 + \$172.71 = \$725.99 \]

#### Toyota Prius Hybrid:
- **Other Costs:** $804.61
- **Gasoline Cost:** $118.75

\[ \text{Total Cost} = \$804.61 + \$118.75 = \$923.36 \]

### 3. **Comparison of Total Costs**

- **Toyota Camry Total Cost:** $725.99
- **Toyota Prius Hybrid Total Cost:** $923.36

### Conclusion

The Toyota Camry is the more cost-effective option for your planned trip, with a total cost of $725.99 compared to the Toyota Prius Hybrid's total cost of $923.36.

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Do you want more details or have any questions?

Here are 8 additional questions for further exploration:

1. What are the environmental impacts of choosing a hybrid car over a conventional car?
2. How would varying gasoline prices affect the total costs for each car?
3. What are the potential additional costs associated with each car option (e.g., insurance, parking fees)?
4. How would the total costs change if the trip distance were increased to 2,000 miles?
5. Are there any discounts or promotional offers available for either car rental option?
6. How does the comfort and driving experience compare between the Toyota Camry and Toyota Prius Hybrid?
7. What other hybrid car options are available, and how do their costs compare?
8. How do maintenance and repair costs over time compare between hybrid and conventional cars?

**Tip:** When planning long trips, it's beneficial to consider not only the immediate costs but also the long-term benefits and potential savings, such as fuel efficiency and environmental impact.

Explore a detailed cost comparison between renting a Toyota Camry and Toyota Prius Hybrid for a 1,500 mile trip, including fuel efficiency calculations and total costs. Find out which option is more cost-effective based on your travel plans.

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