Final answer:
The correct equation representing the distance y from New York City after x hours is y = 360 - 60x, which takes into account both Tom's starting distance and his average speed. Therefore, the correct option is A.
Step-by-step explanation:
The problem is to find an equation that represents y, the distance Tom is from New York City after x hours. Since Tom has traveled for 2.5 hours and has covered 360 - 210 = 150 miles, we can determine his average speed. The average speed is the distance covered divided by the time taken, which is 150 miles / 2.5 hours = 60 miles per hour. Since Tom started 360 miles away from New York City, we can write the equation for y as the initial distance minus the product of the speed and the time x he has traveled. Therefore, the correct equation is y = 360 - 60x. None of the proposed options in the question matches this correct equation. However, if we were to correct option (a) to represent the speed we calculated, it would be the correct option.