C2.3 · Estimate and report automobile-trip costs

Ontario Grade 11 Mathematics

Transportation and Travel

MEL3E specific expectation C2.3

What you will learn

• Identify the information needed to estimate an automobile trip’s cost.
• Estimate fuel use and fuel cost from distance, fuel consumption, and fuel price.
• Include known trip charges, such as parking or tolls, when appropriate.
• Report an estimate clearly, with units, assumptions, and a sensible level of precision.

1. Gather the trip information

• Use the full planned distance, including the return trip.
• Record fuel consumption in litres per 100 kilometres and fuel price in CAD per litre.
• Separate known trip charges from fuel cost.

2. Estimate fuel use and fuel cost

• Estimate litres before calculating fuel cost.
• Check that litres multiplied by CAD per litre gives a cost in CAD.
• Keep input values and calculated values separate in a spreadsheet.

3. Add charges and report the estimate

• Add only charges that are part of the trip and identify what is included.
• Report the assumptions as well as the total.
• Use the word estimated when inputs or driving conditions may vary.

A simple trip-cost record

Worked example

Example 1: Round trip to a training site

1. Find the full distance
   The worker drives there and back, so double the one-way distance. Using the full distance prevents the estimate from counting only half of the trip.
   $$42\times2=84\text{ km}$$
2. Estimate fuel needed
   The car uses about 7.5 litres for each 100 km. Scale that amount to the 84 km trip distance.
   $$\frac{84}{100}\times7.5=6.3\text{ L}$$
3. Find fuel cost
   Multiply the estimated litres by the price for one litre. The litre units cancel, leaving a cost in CAD.
   $$6.3\times1.60=10.08\text{ CAD}$$
4. Add parking
   Parking is a known charge for this trip, so add it to the fuel estimate.
   $$10.08+8.00=18.08\text{ CAD}$$

Worked example

Example 2: Comparing two route estimates

1. Estimate Route A fuel use
   Use the route’s full distance with the fuel-consumption rating. The distance is already given as a total, so do not double it.
   $$\frac{156}{100}\times9.2=14.352\text{ L}$$
2. Calculate Route A total
   Multiply fuel use by the price per litre, then add the toll. Keep the calculator digits during the steps and round the final money amount to cents.
   $$14.352\times1.45+5.00=25.8104\text{ CAD}$$
3. Estimate Route B fuel use
   Apply the same vehicle rating to Route B’s total distance so both estimates use the same assumptions.
   $$\frac{172}{100}\times9.2=15.824\text{ L}$$
4. Calculate Route B total
   Route B has no toll, so its estimate is the fuel cost alone. Round the result to the nearest cent.
   $$15.824\times1.45=22.9448\text{ CAD}$$

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Lesson summary

• Gather the full trip distance, fuel-consumption rating, fuel price, and any known trip charges.
• Estimate litres from the distance and the L-per-100-km rating, then multiply by the price per litre.
• Add included charges and report the total with its assumptions and limits.

Check your understanding

Key terms

Fuel consumption

The amount of fuel a vehicle uses over a stated distance, often given in litres per 100 kilometres.

Trip charge

A known cost connected to a particular trip, such as a toll or parking fee.

Estimate

A calculated amount based on the information available; the actual cost may differ.

Continue through MEL3E

View the complete MEL3E Ontario Grade 11 Mathematics curriculum and lessons

• C2.2 · Plan and justify an automobile route
• C2.4 · Solve personal and business automobile-travel problems
• C1.1 · Interpret driver-licensing procedures, costs, and restrictions
• C1.2 · Describe procedures for buying or leasing a vehicle
• C1.3 · Compare vehicle insurance factors and costs
• C1.4 · Compare costs of buying new, leasing, and buying used

Tutor support for C2.3 · Estimate and report automobile-trip costs

Working on C2.3 · Estimate and report automobile-trip costs in MEL3E? Bring the question and your own attempt. In a live session, you can show each step of your attempt and compare it with a worked example. Ask about the first step that does not make sense, then try a similar question yourself.

Explore math tutoring · Request an eligible free 30-minute introduction. Your request is matched by subject and language; a tutor must accept before a time is confirmed.

برای مبحث C2.3 · برآورد و گزارش هزینه سفر با خودرو در درس MEL3E، سؤال و تلاش خود را همراه بیاورید. در جلسه می‌توانید گام‌های تلاش خود را نشان دهید و آن را با یک نمونهٔ حل‌شده مقایسه کنید. راهنمای معلم ریاضی را ببینید یا جلسهٔ معارفهٔ رایگان ۳۰ دقیقه‌ای درخواست کنید. زمان جلسه پس از پذیرش معلم قطعی می‌شود.

About this lesson and its review

Published by DoAssignment. This reviewed lesson follows Ontario Grade 11 Mathematics (MEL3E), expectation C2.3. It is a study resource, not an official curriculum publication.

Before publication, content is checked for structure, mathematical or chemical notation, calculations, course boundaries, and readability. Errors can still occur, so corrections are welcomed.

Official curriculum reference

Report a correction or ask a question