* The short "a" sound: like in "cat," "hat," and "man."
* The long "a" sound: like in "cake," "name," and "face."
It can also represent other sounds depending on the word and the spelling, such as:
* The "a" sound in "father": like in "car," "father," and "start."
* The "a" sound in "want": like in "want," "wash," and "walk."
* The "a" sound in "about": like in "about," "around," and "mountain."
So, while the letter "a" itself doesn't have a specific number of sounds, it can represent at least two and potentially more depending on the context.