SOLUTION: a family has two cars. the first car has a fuel efficiency of 20 miles per gallon of gas and the second has a fuel efficiency of 25 miles per gallon of gas. during one particular w

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Question 1140684: a family has two cars. the first car has a fuel efficiency of 20 miles per gallon of gas and the second has a fuel efficiency of 25 miles per gallon of gas. during one particular week, the two cars went a combined 1050 total of miles, for a total gas consumption of 45 g
Answer by josgarithmetic(39617) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
R, fuel efficiency
V, volume of fuel
D, distance
RV=D

A few different questions can be answered from the analysis of the description.

Give a variable to something.
                FUEL EFFIC        VOLUME       MILES
FirstCar          20
SecondCar         25
TOTALS                             45          1050


                FUEL EFFIC        VOLUME       MILES
FirstCar          20               v           20v
SecondCar         25              45-v         25(45-v)
TOTALS                             45          1050

highlight_green%2820v%2B25%2845-v%29=1050%29
You can solve this equation for v, volume of fuel for first car; and then evaluate volume of fuel for second car, and each of the distance for these two cars.