Answer: To find the points where the two skaters might collide, we need to find the values of x and y that satisfy both equations:
y = -3x + 8
y = -2x^2 + 7x
We can set the two equations equal to each other and solve for x:
-3x + 8 = -2x^2 + 7x
This simplifies to:
2x^2 - 10x + 8 = 0
Dividing both sides by 2, we get:
x^2 - 5x + 4 = 0
Factoring the left side, we get:
(x - 1)(x - 4) = 0
So the solutions for x are x = 1 and x = 4.
To find the corresponding values of y, we can substitute these values of x into either equation. Let's use y = -3x + 8:
When x = 1, y = -3(1) + 8 = 5
When x = 4, y = -3(4) + 8 = -4
Therefore, the two skaters might collide at the points (1, 5) and (4, -4).
Explanation: