Answer:
Part A. At least 6 hours
Part B. In less than 2.5 hours Elijah will be behind Mercedes
Part C. In more than 2.5 hours Elijah will be ahead Aubrey
Step-by-step explanation:
D = distance
v =speed
t = time
Formula connecting D, v and t:

Part A.
Steve's speed: 
Distance: at least 21 miles
Time: unknown, so
![3.5\cdot t\ge 21\\ \\35t\ge 210\ [\text{Multiplied by 10}]\\ \\t\ge \dfrac{210}{35}\\ \\t\ge \dfrac{30}{5}\\ \\t\ge 6](https://tex.z-dn.net/?f=3.5%5Ccdot%20t%5Cge%2021%5C%5C%20%5C%5C35t%5Cge%20210%5C%20%5B%5Ctext%7BMultiplied%20by%2010%7D%5D%5C%5C%20%5C%5Ct%5Cge%20%5Cdfrac%7B210%7D%7B35%7D%5C%5C%20%5C%5Ct%5Cge%20%5Cdfrac%7B30%7D%7B5%7D%5C%5C%20%5C%5Ct%5Cge%206)
It would take Steve at least 6 hours to walk at least 21 mi on Day 1.
Part B.
Mercedes's speed: 
Elijan's speed: 
Elijan's Distance walked:
miles
Mercedes's Distance walked:
miles
Time: x hours
Mercedes is 2 miles ahead, so

Elijan will be behind when

In 2.5 hours Elijan will catch up Mercedes, and in less than 2.5 hours Elijah will be behind Mercedes.
Part C.
Aubrey's speed: 
Elijan's speed: 
Elijan's Distance walked:
miles
Aubrey's Distance walked:
miles
Time: x hours
At the beginning of Day 3, Elijah starts walking at the marker for Mile 42, and Aubrey starts walking at the marker for Mile 42.5.

Elijan will be ahead of Aubrey when
![D_E>D_A\\ \\42+3.2x> 42.5+3x\\ \\3.2x-3x>42.5-42\\ \\0.2x>0.5\\ \\2x>5\ [\text{Multiplied by 10}]\\ \\x>\dfrac{5}{2}\\ \\x>2.5\ hours](https://tex.z-dn.net/?f=D_E%3ED_A%5C%5C%20%5C%5C42%2B3.2x%3E%2042.5%2B3x%5C%5C%20%5C%5C3.2x-3x%3E42.5-42%5C%5C%20%5C%5C0.2x%3E0.5%5C%5C%20%5C%5C2x%3E5%5C%20%5B%5Ctext%7BMultiplied%20by%2010%7D%5D%5C%5C%20%5C%5Cx%3E%5Cdfrac%7B5%7D%7B2%7D%5C%5C%20%5C%5Cx%3E2.5%5C%20hours)
In 2.5 hours Elijan will catch up Aubrey, and in more than 2.5 hours Elijah will be ahead Aubrey.
Answer:
Infinity
Step-by-step explanation:
Since
for all real numbers x, this property is also true for x=1, which tells us that

On the other hand, note that for all real numbers x, it holds that
Therefore, if

we have tat
The last reasoning tells us that the property
holds for all real numbers x if an only if 
Therefore, we can choose arbitrary constants a and b as long as

We can choose a and b such that both positive, both negative or one of the two constants is equal two zero. In the first two cases
can get as big as we want, depending on the constants, and we are done.