The initial momentum of the system can be expressed as,
[tex]p_i=(m_1+m_2)u[/tex]The final momentum of the system can be given as,
[tex]p_f=m_1v_1+m_2v_2[/tex]According to conservation of momentum,
[tex]p_i=p_f[/tex]Plug in the known expressions,
[tex]\begin{gathered} (m_1+m_2)u=m_1v_1+m_2v_2 \\ u=\frac{m_1v_1+m_2v_2}{m_1+m_2_{}} \end{gathered}[/tex]Since the newspaper moves in the backward direction, therefore it is tekan as negative. Substitute the known values,
[tex]\begin{gathered} u=\frac{(5.6\text{ kg)(7.5 m/s)+(50.3 kg)(-1.4 m/s)}}{(5.6\text{ kg+50.3 kg)}} \\ =\frac{42\text{ kgm/s-}70.42\text{ kgm/s}}{55.9\text{ kg}} \\ =-\frac{28.42\text{ kgm/s}}{55.9\text{ kg}} \\ =-0.508\text{ m/s} \end{gathered}[/tex]Thus, the initial velocity of skateboarder and newspaper is -0.508 m/s where negative sign indicates the backward direction of motion.