How to calculate petrol cost per km

General
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how to calculate petrol cost per km

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How to calculate petrol cost per km

Answer: Calculating the petrol cost per kilometer (km) is a practical way to understand your vehicle’s fuel efficiency and manage your travel expenses. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you calculate this:

1. Fill Your Tank Completely: Start by filling your vehicle’s fuel tank to full capacity. Make a note of your vehicle’s odometer reading or reset the trip meter to zero.

2. Drive Normally: Drive your vehicle as you normally would. The distance you cover should be significant enough to get an accurate measurement, ideally at least 100 km.

3. Refill the Tank: After covering a certain distance, refill the tank to full capacity again. Note the number of liters of petrol you have added to refill the tank. Also, note the current odometer reading or the trip meter reading.

4. Calculate the Distance Traveled: If you noted the odometer readings, subtract the initial reading from the final reading to get the total distance traveled. If you used the trip meter, this reading directly gives you the distance.

5. Determine Fuel Consumption: The amount of fuel you refilled in the tank represents the fuel consumed for the distance traveled.

6. Calculate Petrol Cost Per Kilometer: To find the cost per kilometer, you will need the price per liter of petrol. Here’s the formula:

\text{Petrol Cost per km} = \frac{\text{Total Cost of Petrol Used}}{\text{Total Distance Traveled}}

Example Calculation:

  1. Initial Odometer Reading: 10,000 km
  2. Final Odometer Reading: 10,150 km
  3. Distance Traveled: 10,150 km - 10,000 km = 150 km
  4. Petrol Used: Suppose you refilled 10 liters of petrol.
  5. Cost of Petrol: Assume the cost of petrol is $1.50 per liter.
\text{Total Cost of Petrol Used} = 10 \text{ liters} \times \$1.50/\text{liter} = \$15 \]
\text{Petrol Cost per km} = \frac{15}{150 \text{ km}} = \0.10/\text{km}

Therefore, the petrol cost per kilometer is 0.10.

Tips for Accuracy:

  • Ensure you fill the tank to the same level each time for consistency.
  • Perform the calculation multiple times and take an average for more accurate results.
  • Consider different driving conditions (city vs. highway) as they can affect fuel consumption.

By following these steps, you can accurately determine the petrol cost per kilometer for your vehicle, helping you to budget your fuel expenses better.