Final answer:
Tom weighs 70 pounds. We arrive at this by setting up equations based on the given information that Tom and his father together weigh 280 pounds, and Tom's dad weighs three times as much as Tom, and then solving for Tom's weight.
Step-by-step explanation:
Let's denote Tom's weight as T and his father's weight as F. According to the problem, Tom and his father weigh a combined total of 280 pounds, so T + F = 280. We're also told that Tom's dad weighs three times as much as Tom does, so F = 3T.
Now let's substitute the value of F from the second equation into the first equation:
- T + 3T = 280
- Combine like terms: 4T = 280
- Divide both sides by 4 to solve for T: T = 280 / 4
- T = 70
Therefore, Tom weighs 70 pounds.