Unit F: Finance

Fuel Costs

Fuel consumption is measured in litres per 100 km (L/100 km). The cost of fuel for a vehicle is dependent on the size of the vehicle. In most cases, the larger the vehicle, the higher the fuel consumption. With higher fuel consumption, more gas is needed to travel 100 km.

Example 1

An SUV has a fuel consumption of 9.8 L/100 km. A car has a fuel consumption of 5.1 L/100 km. Which vehicle is more efficient?

Solution

An SUV with a fuel consumption of 9.8 L/100 km uses 9.8 L to travel 100 km. A car with a fuel consumption of 5.1 L/100 km uses 5.1 L to travel 100 km. The car is a more efficient vehicle than the SUV since it uses less gas to travel 100 km.

The cost of gas to travel a certain distance is calculated using the formula

cost = fuel price × fuel consumption × distance

where:
cost is in dollars ($)
fuel price is in $/L
fuel consumption is in litres per 100 km travelled (L/100 km)
distance is in kilometres

Example 2

Calculate the cost to drive a vehicle 249 km if it has a fuel consumption of 6.2 L/100 km. The cost of fuel is $1.25/L.

Solution

\begin{array}{rcl} cost & = & fuel price \times fuel consumption \times distance \\ = & $ 1.25 / L \times \frac{6.2 L}{100 km} \times 249 km \\ = & $ 19.30 \end{array}

Note: To calculate the answer 19.30, enter the following into a calculator.
1.25

6.2

100

249

The cost of the fuel is $19.30.