To solve this problem, we need to find $(h \circ g)(-8)$, which means we first evaluate $g(-8)$ and then use that result as the input for $h$.

Given:

• $h(n) = 2n + 1$
• $g(n) = n^2 - 3$

Let's go through each step:

1. Evaluate $g(-8)$: $g(-8) = (-8)^2 - 3 = 64 - 3 = 61$

2. Now evaluate $h(g(-8)) = h(61)$: $h(61) = 2 \times 61 + 1 = 122 + 1 = 123$

Therefore, $(h \circ g)(-8) = 123$.

Answer: $\text{D) 123}$

Would you like more details, or have any questions about the steps?

Here are some related questions you might find helpful:

1. What is function composition, and how is it generally applied in mathematics?
2. How would the answer change if we were asked for $(g \circ h)(-8)$ instead?
3. How can we verify if two functions are inverses of each other?
4. What are some real-world applications of function composition?
5. How would you represent $(h \circ g)(x)$ as a single function?

Tip: Always evaluate the inner function first when performing function composition.