It is said that like charges repel. You should have observed that after the sticky side

of two pieces of scotch tape are pulled quickly off a table the tapes repel each other.
Perhaps each tape has a different type of charge and the rule has been stated
backwards. Why do you believe that the charges on the two tapes are like types of
charges? Note: It is not acceptable to answer “because like charges repel and I
observed the repulsion.”

You have treated the two pieces of tape the same way, ripping them off the same table. (at least I assume the same table. If not then who knows)

To understand why the charges on the two tapes are likely to be of the same type, we can look at the process that causes the repulsion between the tapes after they are pulled off a table.

When two objects become charged, it means that they have gained or lost electrons. Electrons have a negative charge, so if an object gains electrons, it becomes negatively charged, and if it loses electrons, it becomes positively charged.

In the case of the scotch tape, as it is pulled off the table quickly, it can generate a process called triboelectric charging. This occurs when two materials come into contact and then separate, resulting in a transfer of electrons between them.

Now, when the sticky side of one tape comes into contact and then separates from the sticky side of the other tape, some electrons from one tape are likely to transfer to the other tape. This implies that one tape will gain electrons and become negatively charged, while the other tape will lose electrons and become positively charged.

Since like charges repel each other, the fact that the tapes repel each other suggests that they both have the same type of charge. In other words, they are likely to have gained or lost electrons in the same manner during the triboelectric charging process.

Therefore, based on the observation of the repulsion between the tapes and an understanding of the principles of charge interactions, we can infer that the charges on the two tapes are like types of charges, meaning they both have the same charge (either positive or negative).