Final answer:
Hillary was traveling at a speed of 12 mph, and Molly was traveling at a speed of 16 mph.
Step-by-step explanation:
To solve this problem, we can create an equation using the formula Distance = Rate x Time. Let's assume that Hillary's speed is x mph. Since Molly travels 4 mph faster than Hillary, Molly's speed will be (x+4) mph.
Since they are traveling towards each other, their combined distance will be 224 miles. So, we can set up the equation 8x + 8(x+4) = 224 to represent the total distance traveled by both of them over 8 hours.
Simplifying the equation, we get 8x + 8x + 32 = 224. Combining like terms, we get 16x + 32 = 224. Subtracting 32 from both sides, we get 16x = 192. Dividing both sides by 16, we get x = 12.
Therefore, Hillary was traveling at a speed of 12 mph, and Molly was traveling at a speed of 16 mph.