Let:
x = Distance from his house to the school
y = distance from school to the library = 360m
z = Distance from this house to the library
The distance from his house to the library is 3 times the distance from his house to the school, so:
![z=3x](https://img.qammunity.org/2023/formulas/mathematics/college/rq8643tocu71t8y8tap1h3hcfajmywxq9k.png)
a. the distance from Ricardo's house to the school is given by:
![\begin{gathered} x=z-y \\ x=3x-360 \\ solve_{\text{ }}for_{}x\colon \\ 3x-x=360 \\ 2x=360 \\ x=(360)/(2) \\ x=180m \end{gathered}](https://img.qammunity.org/2023/formulas/mathematics/college/fcenx8udhqjxipodtvxspaubuydi2jfn4j.png)
b. the distance between his house and the library is:
![\begin{gathered} z=3(180) \\ z=540m \end{gathered}](https://img.qammunity.org/2023/formulas/mathematics/college/bo95qqqmevw4d6ho1aauvg68uz22v7scm9.png)