O average consumption of a car's fuel is a reason that divides the travelled distance by the amount of fuel that was used. The standardized measurement units for these greatnesses they are kilometers (km), for the distance covered, and liters (l), for the amount of fuel used.
When calculating the average consumption of a car, the goal is to find out how many kilometers this vehicle is capable of traveling using only 1 liter of fuel. Knowing this value, it is possible to predict how many liters will be spent on a trip, for example.
THE average consumption ratio can be written as follows:
ÇM = s
v
ÇM = average consumption;
S = distance covered in kilometers;
- v = amount of fuel used in liters.
What is reason?
One reason is division expressed in the form of fraction or its result expressed in decimal form. It is very important to reinforce that the order in which the reasons are proposed is as important as the division itself. Look at the example to understand why: a reason between the numbers 2 and 4 is equal to 0.5, because, in the order in which it was proposed, this ratio is equal to 2/4 = 0.5. The ratio between the numbers 4 and 2 is equal to 2, since, in that order, 4/2 = 2.
In this way, it is not possible to divide the amount of fuel used in a trip by the distance traveled to calculate the average consumption. This reason may even represent nothing. THE reasonaverage consumption must follow the order described above.
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Example
A family traveled by car from Goiânia-GO to Fortaleza-CE and used exactly 150 liters of gasoline to do so. Knowing that the distance between the two cities is approximately 2400 km, answer:
a) What was the average consumption of this car on this trip?
Solution: Remember that average consumption is the ratio between the distance traveled and the amount of fuel used. In this way, we will have:
ÇM = s
v
ÇM = 2400
150
ÇM = 16 km/l
Therefore, we can say that this car travels 16 km with each liter of gasoline.
b) How many liters of gasoline would it take to go to Bonito-MS, which is approximately 1150 km from Goiânia-GO?
O average consumption of a 1 liter car is also called the vehicle range. Knowing that this car has a range of 16 km/l, we can use the same ratio to calculate the amount of liters needed. Watch:
ÇM = s
v
16 = 1150
v
Using knowledge about equations, or by multiplying crosswise, or still solving the fractional equation (different techniques that can be used to find the value of v), we have:
16v = 1150
v = 1150
16
v = 71.87 l
The amount of fuel is approximately 72 liters.
By Luiz Paulo Moreira
Graduated in Mathematics
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
SILVA, Luiz Paulo Moreira. "Fuel consumption of an automobile"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/matematica/calculo-consumo-combustivel-um-automovel.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.
