Instructions: Read the scenario and study the data below to answer the computational questions.

Five friends are planning a one-way trip from Seattle to New York City, approximately 2,400 miles away. They’re comparing travel options to decide which one is the most cost-effective and environmentally responsible. They can drive one of three different cars or take a commercial flight. Each choice has trade-offs in cost, speed, convenience, and environmental impact. Your job is to compare the options using real-world data and computation.

Vehicle Options
Option 1: A Cadillac (20 miles per gallon)
Option 2: Mini Cooper (30 miles per gallon)
Option 3: Hybrid Hyundai Sonata (50 miles per gallon)

Assume gasoline costs $3.00/gallon and that one gallon of gasoline releases about 20 lbs of CO₂ when burned.

Flight Option: A commercial Boeing 737 averages:
Fuel consumption: 4.88 gallons of jet fuel per seat per hour
Flight duration: 3 hours from Seattle to NYC
Fuel cost: $4.00/gallon for jet fuel
Passenger load: 160 people
Emissions: 53 lbs of CO₂ per mile (entire aircraft)

Q1. How much CO₂ will be produced by each vehicle option for the 2,400-mile trip?

Q2. At $3.00/gallon, what is the total fuel cost for each vehicle? What is the cost per person if five friends share the trip equally?

Q3. How much jet fuel would be consumed per person for a 3-hour flight?

Q4.How many pounds of CO₂ does the airplane emit over 2,400 miles?
➤ Next, calculate how many pounds of CO₂ per person.

Q5. Rank the four travel options from least CO₂ per person to most CO₂ per person.

Q6. If you were one of the five travelers, which travel option would you choose? Support your answer using emissions data, cost per person, and other considerations (comfort, speed, etc.).