Final answer:
To solve the quadratic equation a² - 4a - 12 = 0 by factoring, we can rewrite it as (a - 6)(a + 2) = 0. The solutions are a = -2 and a = 6.
Step-by-step explanation:
To solve the quadratic equation a² - 4a - 12 = 0 by factoring, we need to find two numbers whose product is -12 and whose sum is -4 (from the coefficient of the middle term -4a). The numbers are -6 and 2. So, we can rewrite the equation as (a - 6)(a + 2) = 0. Now, we can set each factor equal to zero and solve for a. Therefore, the solutions are a = -2 and a = 6.