2007 AMC 12B Problem 2

Attempt Problem 2 of the 2007 AMC 12B below, then check your answer against the professionally curated solution from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 2007 AMC 12B solutions, or check the answer key.

All problems are used with official legal permission of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA).

2.

A college student drove his compact car 120120 miles home for the weekend and averaged 3030 miles per gallon. On the return trip the student drove his parents’ SUV and averaged only 2020 miles per gallon. What was the average gas mileage, in miles per gallon, for the round trip?
2222
2424
2525
2626
2828
Answer: B
Concepts:distance rate and timeharmonic mean
Small hint:
Average mileage is total miles divided by total gallons, not the average of the two rates
Big hint:
The car uses 12030\frac{120}{30} gallons and the SUV uses 12020\frac{120}{20} gallons
Solution:
The trip home uses 12030=4\frac{120}{30}=4 gallons, and the return trip uses 12020=6\frac{120}{20}=6 gallons.
The round trip covers 240240 miles on 1010 gallons, so the average is 24010=24. \dfrac{240}{10}=24.
Thus, the correct answer is B.
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