To determine the number of x-intercepts for the graph of the equation y = x2 – 12, we need to find the values of x where y equals zero. This means we set the equation as follows:
0 = x2 – 12
Next, we can rearrange the equation to solve for x:
x2 = 12
Now, we take the square root of both sides. Remember that taking the square root will yield both a positive and a negative solution:
x = ±√12
Thus, we find:
- x = √12
- x = -√12
Since both of these solutions are real numbers, we conclude that the graph of the equation has two x-intercepts. These intercepts occur at the points (√12, 0) and (-√12, 0).