Math propblem please help

Question

A tree that is  feet tall is growing at a rate of  feet each year.  A different tree that is  feet tall is growing at a rate of  feet each year.  At this rate, when will the trees be the same height?   What will the height of the trees be? please include a graph.

Answer 1

17+4y = 23.5 + 34y

34y-4y= 30y

= 17-23.5 = -6.5

30y =-6.5

y = -6.5/30 = -1.3/6

y= - 0.21666... = about -1/5

they'll never be the same height, unless you

go backwards in time to about negative 1/5 year

17+4(-1/5) = 23.5 + 34(-1/5)

17-4/5 = 23.5- 34/5

16 1/5 = 23.5-6.8 = 16.7

close enough, given rounding error and approximation