Everyday gas problems come down to one relationship between distance, fuel economy, fuel economy, fuel economy, fuel economy, number of people, fuel price and one way. This calculator turns those numbers into cost per person, cost of the trip and fuel used, with the working shown so you can check the result rather than simply trust it.
What Is the Gas Calculator?
The gas calculator turns distance, fuel economy, fuel economy, fuel economy, fuel economy, number of people, fuel price and one way into cost per person, cost of the trip and fuel used.
It is a quick way to get from the numbers you have to the number you need, without setting up a spreadsheet or reaching for a formula.
How the Gas Works
Each result follows from the ones before it, and the calculator shows every step, so a surprising answer can be traced back to the input that caused it.
Round your inputs to the precision you actually know, and keep more precision than that in the intermediate steps.
Getting a Result You Can Trust
Run the calculation twice with slightly different inputs. A sensible calculator moves its output in proportion; a wild change points to a unit or a decimal point problem in what you entered.
Write the inputs down next to the answer. It takes a moment and it is the difference between a number you can explain and one you cannot.
A Worked Example
Working through an example, with distance set to 10, fuel economy set to 5, fuel economy set to 2, the calculator returns fuel used of 5, and fuel used (fuel burnt highway) of 0.1, and fuel used (fuel burnt city) of 2. Substitute your own figures and the same steps produce the same kind of answer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I need to work out cost per person?
Enter distance, fuel economy, fuel economy, fuel economy, fuel economy, number of people, fuel price and one way. The calculator then works through the relationship and reports cost per person, cost of the trip and fuel used.
What does the gas actually calculate?
It takes distance, fuel economy, fuel economy, fuel economy, fuel economy, number of people, fuel price and one way and converts them into cost per person, cost of the trip and fuel used using the standard relationship for this problem. Each step is applied in turn, so every output is traceable back to the numbers you typed in.
How should I enter distance?
Use the value you actually have, in the unit shown next to the field. Enter every value in the same unit system. The calculator assumes the figures you supply are consistent, so it cannot correct a mistake that happens before the calculation starts.
Does anything you type get stored?
No. The whole calculation runs inside your browser, and nothing you enter is uploaded, logged or sent anywhere.
Why does a small change in one value move the answer so much?
That happens when an output depends on a ratio, because dividing by a small number magnifies any change in it. Check the units first, then check whether the value you entered is in the range the relationship was designed for.