SOLUTION: A family has two cars. During one particular week, the first car consumed 25 gallons of gas and the second consumed 40 gallons of gas. The two cars drove a combined total of 1600 m

Algebra ->  Customizable Word Problem Solvers  -> Misc -> SOLUTION: A family has two cars. During one particular week, the first car consumed 25 gallons of gas and the second consumed 40 gallons of gas. The two cars drove a combined total of 1600 m      Log On

Ad: Over 600 Algebra Word Problems at edhelper.com


    

Question 1122623: A family has two cars. During one particular week, the first car consumed 25 gallons of gas and the second consumed 40 gallons of gas. The two cars drove a combined total of 1600 miles, and the sum of their fuel efficiencies was 55 miles per gallon. What were the fuel efficiencies of each of the cars that week?
Answer by josgarithmetic(39621) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
------------------------------------------------
During one particular week, the first car consumed 25 gallons of gas and the second consumed 40 gallons of gas. The two cars drove a combined total of 1600 miles, and the sum of their fuel efficiencies was 55 miles per gallon. What were the fuel efficiencies of each of the cars that week?
----------------------------------------------

R=D%2FV, fuel efficiency R in miles per gallons
              FUEL EFFICIENCY   VOLUME       DISTANCE

FirstCar         x               25            25x

SecondCar        y               40            40y

Totals          55               65            1600

system%28x%2By=55%2C25x%2B40y=1600%29

--

5x%2B8y=320

5%2855-y%29%2B8y=320
275-5y%2B8y=320
3y=320-275
highlight%28y=15%29-----------miles per gallon, the SecondCar
highlight%28x=40%29-------------------FirstCar
.