Final answer:
To calculate the rate at which the skiers will accelerate, use Newton's second law: net force = mass x acceleration.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the rate at which the skiers will accelerate, we can use Newton's second law, which states that the net force acting on an object is equal to the product of its mass and acceleration. In this case, the net force is 290 N and the combined mass of the skiers is 48 + 61 = 109 kg. Rearranging the equation, we have:
Force = Mass x Acceleration
Substituting the known values:
290 N = 109 kg x Acceleration
Now, we can solve for the acceleration:
Acceleration = 290 N / 109 kg = 2.66 m/s²