To determine the unit rate, which in this context is the number of miles traveled per gallon of fuel, follow these steps:
1. Identify the total distance traveled and the total fuel consumed:
- The total distance traveled is 256 miles.
- The total fuel consumed is 8 gallons.
2. Divide the total distance by the total fuel to find the number of miles traveled per gallon:
[tex]\[
\text{Unit rate} = \frac{\text{Total Distance}}{\text{Total Fuel}}
\][/tex]
Substituting the given values:
[tex]\[
\text{Unit rate} = \frac{256 \text{ miles}}{8 \text{ gallons}}
\][/tex]
3. Perform the division:
[tex]\[
\text{Unit rate} = 32 \text{ miles per gallon}
\][/tex]
So, the unit rate is 32 miles per gallon.
