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Can anyone help with this maths problem please?

7 replies

CandidaAlbicans2 · 15/07/2021 11:20

I want to work out whether it’s cheaper to drive somewhere (factoring in £5 for parking) or take the train. So how do I do it?

The return train ticket costs £22.70. My car does about 35 MPG (not great I know), the journey is 80 miles there and back, and fuel costs around 132p per litre. I’m thinking I need to convert gallons to litres to change the MPG to MPL, so if there are 4.5L per gallon I divide 35 by 4.5? So my car does 7.7 MPL. Then divide the 80 mile journey by 7.7 = 10.4
10.4 x 132p = 1372.8p or £13.73 worth of fuel.

So I reckon it’s cheaper to drive (£18.73 Vs £22.70) although I haven’t factored in wear and tear. Is this correct?

OP posts:
ClumpingBambooIsALie · 15/07/2021 11:21

I'd just search for a journey cost calculator…

BillMasen · 15/07/2021 11:22

Looks spot on to me. 4.56 litres per gallon but that doesn’t change the outcome

TeenMinusTests · 15/07/2021 12:31

My DF always used to say 'double the cost of the petrol for the true cost'.

However you may want to factor in

  • covid
  • flexibility of travel times
  • stress/tiringness of both methods
CandidaAlbicans2 · 15/07/2021 15:52

I'd just search for a journey cost calculator
Ooh, thanks for the heads up, I had no idea such things existed 😃 Then again, I wanted to give my brain some exercise 🧐😁

Looks spot on to me. 4.56 litres per gallon but that doesn’t change the outcome
Great! So glad the GCSE maths I did in my late 40s has proven useful 😊

@TeenMinusTests, you’re right, it’s not just the fuel to take into consideration. I really like trains so I’m tempted to use them rather than drive just because it’s more fun and relaxing 🙂

OP posts:
PeonyTime · 15/07/2021 15:59

Can you walk to the train station, or do you need to pay for parking there?

CandidaAlbicans2 · 16/07/2021 13:32

I can walk to the train station in about 25 minutes so no parking fees. However, if I ended up buying something heavy or bulky I'd have to carry it on the walk home which wouldn't be much fun. A taxi would be an option but would add to the costs 🤔
Anyway, I'm chuffed that I managed to use the right maths technique to work out petrol costs 😄

OP posts:
BarbaraofSeville · 16/07/2021 13:49

You've worked out petrol and parking costs, but not the rest of the cost of running a car. However, you'd have to pay these costs anyway and some of these are fixed whether or not you use your car (tax, depreciation, insurance, MOT, breakdown cover), only tyres and other maintenance increases the more you use your car.

Or course, if you're using your car for work, you can reasonably expect your employer to pay the standard 45 pence per mile to cover the whole cost of running a car, not just petrol.

Another simpler way of working out fuel costs would be to use the HMRC fuel only rates, which does all the fiddly maths for you. However, in my experience, these aren't very generous and only fully cover the cost of fuel if you're on a good run at 50-60 MPH. Any stop start traffic, or motorway speed, and they underpay by about 10-20%

www.gov.uk/guidance/advisory-fuel-rates

But in most cases, once you have a car, you might as well use it, because the marginal cost of doing so is almost certainly cheaper than public transport and also in most cases quicker and more convenient - you don't have to wait for the train to come, you mention carrying heavy things.

Generally, the only time the train is a cheaper or quicker option for a car owner is when parking is difficult and/or expensive, you have to pay a congestion charge, you're driving to a very congested area or you'd rather be able to drink alcohol than have access to your car.

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