At constant vehicle speed, which gear ratio will lead to higher engine RPM?

To determine which gear ratio leads to higher engine RPM at a constant vehicle speed, it's important to understand how gear ratios work in relation to engine speed and vehicle speed. A gear ratio represents the relationship between the number of revolutions of the engine (input) and the number of revolutions of the wheels (output).

In a lower gear ratio, such as 2:1, the engine will need to rotate fewer times to achieve the same amount of wheel rotation compared to higher gear ratios. Conversely, in a higher gear ratio like 5:1, the engine must turn many more times to achieve the same wheel rotation. This means that at a constant vehicle speed, a higher gear ratio (like 5:1) results in lower engine RPM because the engine does not need to work as hard to maintain that speed.

The 3:1 ratio, while higher than 2:1, does not represent the highest ratio available in the choices. Therefore, the engine RPM at constant speed will be lower with this ratio than with the next higher option.

The 4:1 ratio is also a step in the right direction, but it is still lower than the 3:1 ratio in terms of engine RPM.

The choice indicated as