You have steamed 142 miles and consumed 15.0 tons of fuel. If you maintain the same speed, how many tons of fuel will you consume while steaming 472 miles?

Correct Answer: Option C — 49.9 tons

Vessel fuel consumption is directly proportional to distance steamed at a constant speed. Using the proportional ratio method ($\frac{15.0\text{ tons}}{142\text{ miles}} = \frac{x}{472\text{ miles}}$) calculates the total fuel burned as $49.9$ tons.