Final answer:
The drag force of the water skier is 144 N.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the drag force of the water skier, we can use Newton's second law of motion which states that force equals mass multiplied by acceleration (F = ma).
In this case, the force exerted by the boat is 220 N and the acceleration of the skier is 1.8 m/s^2. The mass of the skier is 80 kg.
Using the formula, drag force (F) = mass (m) × acceleration (a), we can substitute the given values:
Drag force = 80 kg × 1.8 m/s^2 = 144 N
Hence, the drag force of the skier is 144 N.