<p>Okay. Here's an interesting (I think) science question I have.
I didn't know where to ask.</p>
<p>So, you know how there are those big trucks that transport little cars?</p>
<p>Let's say there is that truck and Toyota Camry.</p>
<p>let's say the goal is to get both cars from X to Y.</p>
<p>Would you save gas by transporting Camry on that truck versus two cars going independently to Y?</p>
<p>I’m not sure about cost and fuel efficiency, but what about wear and tear on the individual cars? Could dealerships still sell these cars as new if they were driven to the dealership? I’m sure there are some picky customers out there who when buying a car labeled new, want the care to be new. What if the vehicles need to travel a few hundred miles to get to the dealership? The cars might need to fill up more than once to reach their destination, while the truck may not need to stop at all, time of transport may be significant to dealerships.</p>
<p>It would be cheaper to drive the two cars to Y, but then they would arrive with mileage on them. If the goal is to sell them as new vehicles, you can’t have that.</p>
<p>There are other logistical reasons for using a truck – if the truck is fully loaded with cars it’s going to be cheaper to load them onto a truck, since you only have to pay one driver. Then there’s insurance, delivery schedule, washing the cars upon arrival, etc.</p>
<p>What about if we just cared about how much gasoline burnt and NOTHING ELSE?</p>
<p>A loaded semi gets maybe 7 miles to the gallon. The camery will eaily get more than twice the mileage of the truck so the answer should be drive two cars.</p>
<p>Good question, however if you drove the Camry from x to y then it’s going to be a used car which sells for less than a new car. I think that fact overpowers the possibility that it takes more gas to get from x to y.</p>
<p>However, the truck typically takes a full load of six cars from the factory (or port of entry for imported cars) to the dealership and only requires one driver to do so. It is clearly the correct economic decision to use the truck.</p>
<p>Interpretation of the original question is the real problem. The wording says take the truck and the car. Then further down in the question it talks about 2 cars going independently. If we only look at cost of fuel then;</p>
<p>If both a car and truck must arrive at Y then the car on the truck would be most efficient if just the Camry must arrive at Y then using 2 drivers and 2 Camry’s would be more efficient. </p>
<p>(Really a math question.)</p>
<p>The problem is not clearly stated. Are the “two cars” the truck and the Camry, or two Camrys (leaving the truck at the origin)?</p>
<p>The problem also needs to specify the fuel consumption of the Camry(s) and that of the truck (unloaded and loaded with a Camry). It also needs to specify how people have to go to the destination along with the vehicles (or if it is desirable to have more or fewer people go).</p>