To find f(5) we substitute x=5 for x in f(x). So we have to figure out which of these 3 intervals number 5 belongs to: -7≤x<2, x=2, or x≥2 We ask the question: "Does the number 5 fit the inequality -7≤x<2 ? The answer is NO, because 5 is not between -7 and 2, so that means that we don't use f(x)=x²+3, because we only would use that one if the value of x we wanted to substitute were between -7 and 2. We ask the question: "Does the number 5 fit the equation x=2? No because 5 is not 2, so that means that we don't use f(x)=14, because we only would use f(x)=14 if the value of x we want to substitute were exactly 2. We ask the question: "Does the number 5 fit the inequality x≥2 ? The answer is YES, because 5 is INDEED greater than 2, so that means that we DO use f(x)=4-3x² for that's the one we use if the value of x that we want to substitute is greater than 2, and 5 surely is greater than 2. So we substitute 5 for x in f(x)=4-3x² and we get f(5)=4-3(5)² = 4-3(25) = 4-75 = -71. Edwin