Final answer:
The piecewise function is defined as f(x) = 0.05x - 300 over the income range of $15,000 to $40,000. An Aribraska resident who earns $32,000 would owe $1,600 in taxes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The piecewise function is defined as f(x) = 0.05x - 300 over the part of the domain where the income is between $15,000 and $40,000. This is because the tax rate of 5% is being applied to the income in this range. For any income above $40,000, the tax rate is 7%, so the function would not be equal to 0.05x - 300.
To calculate the amount of taxes owed by an Aribraska resident who earns $32,000, we need to determine the income range that applies to this amount. Since $32,000 is within the range of $15,000 to $40,000, we can use the piecewise function to calculate the taxes:
f(32,000) = 0.05(32,000) - 300 = 1,600
Therefore, an Aribraska resident who earns $32,000 would owe $1,600 in taxes.