1. f ( -3 ) = 5 ( -3 ) - 2 = - 15 - 2 = -17
2. f (x) = 5x - 2 = -3
5x = -3 + 2
5x = -1
x = -1/5 ( dividing both sides by 5 )
The difference between the equations is that -3 is the value for the variable x in the first equation but the function is equal to -3 in the second.
