Final answer:
The axis of symmetry for the parabola represented by the equation y = x² + 3 is the y-axis, described by the equation x = 0.
Step-by-step explanation:
The equation y = x² + 3 represents a parabola in standard form. To find the axis of symmetry for this parabola, we need to examine the quadratic term in the equation. The axis of symmetry for a parabola in the form y = ax² + bx + c is always a vertical line that passes through the vertex of the parabola. The equation for the axis of symmetry can be derived using the formula x = -b/(2a).
In the given equation, since there is no b term (the coefficient of the x term), it implies b is 0. Therefore, the axis of symmetry is x = 0. This axis of symmetry also means that the vertex of the parabola is on the y-axis and the parabola opens upwards because the coefficient of x² is positive.
From this analysis, we can conclude that the axis of symmetry for the equation y = x² + 3 is the y-axis itself, and it is represented by the equation x = 0.