HOW TO BUY A CAR

(a consumer math web quest for middle-school students)

designed by Mrs. Maureen Hahn

mathhahn@aol.com

Introduction:

 Mr. Jones has a dilemma.  He desperately needs a new car.  His budget will only allow $450 per month for car expenses (car payment plus gasoline).  He travels 60 miles one way to work, so he needs a car that is highly dependable and gets very good gas mileage.  He and his wife also drive an additional 600 miles on average per month for personal driving.  He is able to put $2500 down and is willing to finance the car for five years (the current interest rate is 6%).  His wife would like a car that looks good.  They do not have children, and they do not want a mini-van or a SUV.  What car would you recommend?

Task:

Students will search web sites for car manufacturers and other given web sites, make calculations using the information given and the data found in the research, record all results in the form provided, and choose a car based on the results.

Process:

1. Click here for a copy of the HOW TO BUY A CAR form.  Print it OR save it in your personal folder.  Use this form to record all results.

2. Calculate the total monthly mileage and record near the top of the form.

3. Investigate web sites for several car dealers.   Choose three cars that seem affordable.  Record the prices.

4. Click here to find and record the miles per gallon (MPG) for each car.

5. Click here to determine and record the monthly car payment for each car.

6. Calculate the monthly price for gasoline for each car (see the calculation at the bottom of the HOW TO BUY A CAR form).

7. Calculate the total monthly cost for each car (car payment plus gasoline) and record the total amount for each car.

8. Complete the bottom of the form, stating and explaining your final choice of a car for Mr. Jones (for example, explain how Mr. Jones might afford a car for more than $450 a month).

Evaluation:

There are a total of 20 answers on the form (Total monthly mileage at the top, Conclusion at the bottom, and six answers for each of the six cars), so each correct answer is worth 5 points.

Conclusion:

Once you have finished this activity, you should have a better idea of the tools available on the Internet for car shopping, the calculations involved in making an educated choice of a car, and the factors involved in making a final decision.  Your choice of car may not necessarily be the car with the lowest cost.  You might prefer one of the other cars.  Maybe, you can think of some way that Mr. Jones can afford one of the cars with a higher cost.  For example, he might find a way to save for a bigger down payment, or he might think of a way to make a higher monthly payment by cutting out other expenses.  Be creative!

Credits:

The idea for this activity appeared as an article in the October 2006 issue of Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School:  How to Buy a Car 101 by Charity A. Flores.

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