Final answer:
The mathematics question involves a word problem where three friends earn money raking leaves. By setting up an algebraic equation and solving it, we find that if Tomo and Taylor together earned $20, then John earned $40, which cumulatively adds up to a total of $60.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question involves solving a problem where three friends have earned a total of $60 from raking leaves. We are told that John made twice the amount of money as Tomo and Taylor combined. This is a classic algebra problem that involves setting up equations based on the information given. To approach this problem, let's designate the amount of money that Tomo and Taylor made combined as x. Therefore, John made 2x dollars because it is twice the combined amount of Tomo and Taylor. The total amount earned by all three friends is $60, so we can set up the following equation: x + 2x = $60.
To find the value of x, we combine like terms which gives us 3x = $60. Dividing both sides of the equation by 3, we determine that x = $20. This means Tomo and Taylor combined made $20, and since John made twice this amount, he made $40. By solving this equation, we have determined the distribution of the $60 among the three friends. This type of problem helps students understand the basics of algebra and how to apply it to real-life situations.