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ASVAB · Ratios, Proportions, and Rates

A car travels 200 miles using 8 gallons of gas. At this rate, how many miles can the car travel on 12 gallons?

Reviewed by Jordan Morley, Editorial Lead at 247SimpleTests. Written by the 247SimpleTests Editorial Team from the official source material cited on every question.

Correct answer

300 miles

  1. A 320 miles
  2. B 240 miles
  3. C 280 miles
  4. D 300 miles

Why this is the answer

Method 1 (proportion): 200 miles / 8 gallons = x miles / 12 gallons; cross-multiply: 8x = 2400; x = 300 miles. Method 2 (unit rate): 200 miles ÷ 8 gallons = 25 miles per gallon; 25 × 12 = 300 miles. Both methods give the same answer. Fuel efficiency problems are common on the ASVAB and in real military contexts. Related calculations: (1) Cost per mile = total fuel cost ÷ miles driven; (2) Fuel needed for a trip = trip distance ÷ MPG; (3) Cost of a trip = trip distance × cost per mile. Example: trip of 450 miles in a vehicle that gets 25 MPG at $4/gallon: gallons needed = 450/25 = 18; cost = 18 × $4 = $72. The unit-rate method (find the per-unit value, then multiply) is often the most efficient approach to proportion problems and works for many real-world situations.
Source: ASVAB AR — Fuel Efficiency

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This question is from our ASVAB Practice Tests practice test. Take the full practice test to test your knowledge across all Ratios, Proportions, and Rates and other topics.

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About this topic: Ratios, Proportions, and Rates

Ratios, proportions and rates cover scale drawings, recipes, speed and unit prices. Almost every question reduces to setting two ratios equal and cross-multiplying — once you see that pattern the section becomes fast. This is one of 11 Arithmetic Reasoning questions on ratios, proportions, and rates, each with a full explanation on a single study page.

New to this exam? Our ASVAB exam guide explains the format, scoring, and how to prepare.

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