SOLUTION: On a residential single lane road there was a wreck that backed up traffic for 5 miles. 80% of the traffic consists of cars and 20% of the traffic consists of trucks. The average d

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Question 1144880: On a residential single lane road there was a wreck that backed up traffic for 5 miles. 80% of the traffic consists of cars and 20% of the traffic consists of trucks. The average distance between vehicles is 3 feet. The average length of a car is 13.5 feet and the average length of a truck is 20 feet. Estimate how many vehicles are stuck in the traffic jam.
(Hint: There are 5280 feet in 1 mile.)
A. 853 vehicles
B. 1510 vehicles
C. 2103 vehicles
D. 2320 vehicles
Is B correct?
The question and the answer choices in the link here: https://prnt.sc/p4af9h

Answer by ikleyn(52788) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
.
Let x be the TOTAL number of vehicles (the value under the question).


Then you have this equation


    0.8x*13.5 + 0.2x*20 + 3x - 3 = 5*5280


Its both sides express the length of the traffic jam in feet, by the OBVIOUS way.


From the equation


     x = %285%2A5280%2B3%29%2F%280.8%2A13.5+%2B+0.2%2A20+%2B+3%29 = 1483.315 (approximately).


Since we estimate to get the integer number, round it to the nearest integer.


ANSWER.  1483 vehicles.