How many times does the graph of the function below touch or cross the x-axis?

Question

3x2 + 8x + 5

Answer 1

The graph of the function touches or corsses the x-axis wherever the value of the function is zero. So we must solve 3x^2 + 8x + 5 = 0. We can factor this into (3x + 5)(x + 1) = 0 So the function has a value of zero when 3x + 5 = 0 ==> x = -5/3 or x + 1 = 0 ==> x = -1. So there are two values of x where the function touches or crosses the x-axis.

Answer 2

twice