For a 500-mile trip, with a vehicle that gets 25 mpg and gas costs $1.50 per gallon, how much should you budget for fuel?

To find out how much to budget for fuel on a 500-mile trip with a vehicle that has a fuel efficiency of 25 miles per gallon (mpg), follow these steps:

1. Calculate the total gallons of fuel needed for the trip:

Divide the total distance of the trip by the vehicle's fuel efficiency.

[

\text{Gallons needed} = \frac{\text{Total distance}}{\text{Fuel efficiency}} = \frac{500 \text{ miles}}{25 \text{ mpg}} = 20 \text{ gallons}

]

2. Calculate the total cost of fuel:

Multiply the total number of gallons needed by the cost per gallon of gas.

[

\text{Total cost} = \text{Gallons needed} \times \text{Cost per gallon} = 20 \text{ gallons} \times $1.50/\text{gallon} = $30

]

Therefore, budgeting approximately $30 for fuel is the calculated and accurate estimate for this trip. This answer takes into account both the distance driven and the vehicle's fuel economy alongside the current cost of gas.