To find the linear transformation T: R3 -> R2, the vectors (1,0,-1) and (2,1,3) are used to express (8,3,7) as a linear combination of these vectors. The transformation is defined by T(1,0,-1) = (2,3) and T(2,1,3) = (-1,0). By determining the coefficients for the linear combination, the linearity property of T can be applied to calculate T(8,3,7). The solution involves solving a system of equations to express (8,3,7) in terms of the given vectors. Ultimately, this approach allows for the computation of T(8,3,7) using the defined transformation.