Let's analyze the problem. The equation given is:

$y = (x - 1)^2 - 4$

To find the x-intercepts, we set $y = 0$ and solve for $x$:

$0 = (x - 1)^2 - 4$

1. Add 4 to both sides:

$4 = (x - 1)^2$

2. Take the square root of both sides:

$x - 1 = \pm 2$

3. Solve for $x$:

• $x - 1 = 2 \implies x = 3$
• $x - 1 = -2 \implies x = -1$

So, the x-intercepts are $x = 3$ and $x = -1$.

The correct answer is option 2: "The graph intercepts the x-axis at 3 and -1."

Would you like further details or have any questions?

Here are 5 related questions to expand your understanding:

1. How do you find the y-intercept of a quadratic equation?
2. What does the vertex of the equation $y = (x - 1)^2 - 4$ represent?
3. How can you rewrite $y = (x - 1)^2 - 4$ in standard form?
4. What is the axis of symmetry for the graph of $y = (x - 1)^2 - 4$?
5. How does the graph of $y = (x - 1)^2 - 4$ compare to $y = x^2$?

Tip: When finding x-intercepts, always set $y = 0$ and solve for $x$.