Question

Becky adds 3/4 gallon of gasoline into her snow thrower's empty fuel tank. She uses 1/4 gallon for the snowstorm on Friday, and then uses another 1/4 gallon for the snowstorms on Sunday. Is the fuel tank empty after becky uses the snow thrower on Sunday? Explain. If her fuel tank is not empty again, what single action could have been changed so that it is empty again? Explain.

Answer 1

Amount of fuel in the tank before the story begins . . . . . zero.

Total amount poured in . . . . . 3/4 gallon.

Total amount burned:
                   on Friday . . . . . 1/4 gallon
                   on Sunday . . . . 1/4 gallon
                        Total used . . 1/2 gallon .

Amount remaining in the tank on Monday:

               (3/4 gallon in) - (1/2 gallon burned)  =  1/4 gallon left.
                                                                        ==>  NOT empty

The tank would have been empty on Monday IF Becky
had poured in only 1/2 gallon, instead of 3/4 of a gallon
before the first flakes began to fly.