Final answer:
Alex's son weighs 88 pounds. This is determined by setting up an algebraic equation with the given information that Alex weighs 2 pounds less than twice his son's weight and solving for the son's weight.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find out how much Alex's son weighs, we need to set up an algebraic equation based on the information given. The question states that Alex's weight is 2 pounds less than twice his son's weight. If we let x represent the son's weight, then twice the son's weight is 2x, and Alex's weight is 2x - 2 pounds. We know Alex weighs 174 pounds, so we can set up the equation 2x - 2 = 174.
Now, let's solve for x:
- Add 2 to both sides to get the equation 2x = 176.
- Divide both sides by 2 to find x, which gives us x = 88.
Thus, Alex's son weighs 88 pounds.