Final answer:
The horizontal component of a vector that starts at (-8,8) and ends at (4,2) is 12 units to the right.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student is asking about determining the horizontal component of a vector given its initial and terminal points. To find the horizontal component, or x-component, of a vector, subtract the x-coordinate of the initial point from the x-coordinate of the terminal point. In this case, the initial point is at (-8, 8) and the terminal point is at (4, 2).
The x-component is calculated as follows: 4 - (-8) = 4 + 8 = 12. Therefore, the horizontal component of the vector is 12 units to the right, assuming the positive x-direction is to the right. This means the vector has moved 12 units horizontally from its initial position to its end point.