Answer: The composite function (g f)(x) is found by first applying the function f to x and then applying the function g to the result. In other words, (g f)(x) = g(f(x)).
So, for the given functions g(x) = x - 5 and f(x) = -x - 1, the composite function is:
(g f)(x) = g(-x - 1) = (-x - 1) - 5 = -x - 6
Evaluating the composite function at x = 7, we get:
(g f)(7) = -7 - 6 = -13
Explanation: