Final answer:
The 5th number in the sequence is -5.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the 5th number in the sequence, we need to use the recursive formula given: f(n) = f(n-1) - 2. Starting with f(1) = 3, we can apply the formula repeatedly to find the next numbers in the sequence.
f(2) = f(1) - 2 = 3 - 2 = 1
f(3) = f(2) - 2 = 1 - 2 = -1
f(4) = f(3) - 2 = -1 - 2 = -3
f(5) = f(4) - 2 = -3 - 2 = -5