To determine how many hours a fuel supply lasts, which operation is performed on the total gallons and the consumption rate in gallons per hour?

To determine how many hours a fuel supply lasts, which operation is performed on the total gallons and the consumption rate in gallons per hour?

• A. Multiply Total Gallons by Consumption Rate
• B. Divide Total Gallons by Consumption Rate
• C. Subtract Consumption from Total Gallons
• D. Add Total Gallons and Consumption Rate

Answer: (B)

When you want to know how long fuel lasts, you divide the total amount of fuel by the burn rate. The consumption rate is in gallons per hour, so total gallons ÷ (gallons per hour) gives hours. This works because the gallons cancel, leaving units of hours. For example, 500 gallons at 10 gallons per hour lasts 50 hours. Multiplying would mix units to something like gallons squared per hour, which isn’t a measure of time, and adding or subtracting doesn’t produce a time value either.

When you want to know how long fuel lasts, you divide the total amount of fuel by the burn rate. The consumption rate is in gallons per hour, so total gallons ÷ (gallons per hour) gives hours. This works because the gallons cancel, leaving units of hours. For example, 500 gallons at 10 gallons per hour lasts 50 hours. Multiplying would mix units to something like gallons squared per hour, which isn’t a measure of time, and adding or subtracting doesn’t produce a time value either.