The goal of this activity is to make a reasonable estimate for a large, obscure quantity. This is done by calculation using estimates of quantities hat are more familiar to us. In this activity, you will estimate CO2 emissions by motor vehicles. 

1. Estimate the following quantities:
a. United States population
b. Percent who are of legal driving age (16 and over)
c. Percent of those estimated in part (b) that has a car and drive
d. Average miles driven by each driver in one week
e. Average gas mileage, in miles per gallon, of all vehicles in the united states.

For the following questions, show your estimates and, when applicable, any additional information given, are used to calculate the following. Then record the answer in the space designated.

2. Calculate an estimate for the number of people, in the United States, of legal driving age.

3. Calculate an estimate of those that have a car and drive it.

Let's walk through the estimates and calculations one step at a time for this CO₂ emissions estimation problem:

### 1. Estimating the following quantities:

#### a. United States Population:
- As of 2024, the estimated population of the United States is about **335 million** people.

#### b. Percent of the population of legal driving age (16 and over):
- A reasonable estimate for the percentage of the population that is 16 years or older in the U.S. is around **77%**. (This includes working-age adults and seniors.)

#### c. Percent of those in part (b) that own a car and drive:
- Approximately **88%** of people who are 16 and over either own a car or drive regularly.

#### d. Average miles driven by each driver in one week:
- On average, U.S. drivers drive about **250 miles per week**. (This assumes roughly 35–40 miles per day for those who drive regularly.)

#### e. Average gas mileage (miles per gallon) of all vehicles:
- The average gas mileage across all vehicles in the U.S. (including cars, trucks, and SUVs) is estimated to be **25 miles per gallon** (mpg).

---

### 2. Calculating an estimate for the number of people in the United States of legal driving age:

We can now calculate the number of people in the U.S. who are of legal driving age (16 and over) using the total U.S. population and the percentage of people who meet the age requirement.

\[
\text{People of driving age} = 335\, \text{million} \times 0.77 = 257.95\, \text{million}
\]

So, the estimated number of people in the U.S. of legal driving age is approximately **258 million**.

---

### 3. Calculating an estimate of those who own a car and drive:

Next, we calculate the number of people who are both of legal driving age **and** own a car or regularly drive using the percentage from part (c):

\[
\text{Drivers with cars} = 258\, \text{million} \times 0.88 = 227.04\, \text{million}
\]

Thus, the estimated number of people who own a car and drive in the U.S. is approximately **227 million**.

---

Would you like to continue estimating the total amount of gas consumed or CO₂ emissions based on these values?

Here are 5 questions to extend this problem:
1. How would you estimate the total annual miles driven by all drivers in the U.S.?
2. How can we calculate the total gasoline consumption based on average miles driven and gas mileage?
3. What factors affect the accuracy of these estimations, especially the gas mileage and miles driven?
4. How can improvements in average gas mileage reduce CO₂ emissions?
5. What percentage of U.S. emissions come from transportation, and how does that inform the significance of these estimates?

**Tip:** Always use real-time data when making such estimates, as population and vehicle statistics can change frequently.

The goal of this activity is to make a reasonable estimate for a large, obscure quantity. This is done by calculation using estimates of quantities that are more familiar to us. In this activity, you will estimate CO2 emissions by motor vehicles.

1. Estimate the following quantities:
a. United States population
b. Percent who are of legal driving age (16 and over)
c. Percent of those estimated in part (b) that has a car and drive
d. Average miles driven by each driver in one week
e. Average gas mileage, in miles per gallon, of all vehicles in the United States.

2. Calculate an estimate for the number of people, in the United States, of legal driving age.

3. Calculate an estimate of those that have a car and drive it.

Learn how to estimate CO2 emissions by calculating the number of people of driving age, vehicle ownership rates, and average miles driven in the U.S. This problem covers estimation techniques and percentage calculations, suitable for high school students in Grades 9-12.

Math Problem Statement

Solution

Ask a new question for Free

By Image

Math Problem Analysis

Mathematical Concepts

Formulas

Theorems

Suitable Grade Level

Related Recommendation