Final answer:
The combined force on the barge is 8000 N
Step-by-step explanation:
The combined force on the barge is the sum of the forces exerted by Tugboat A and Tugboat B. Tugboat A pushes with a force of 3000 N, and Tugboat B pulls with a force of 5000 N in the same direction. Since the forces are acting in the same direction, we can simply add the magnitudes of the forces to find the combined force on the barge.
Combined Force = Force of Tugboat A + Force of Tugboat B = 3000 N + 5000 N = 8000 N