y 3x2 6x 4

1) Factorise the 3 out - when factorising the 3 out, we must divide all terms by 3:
3x2
3x2 3
x2
3
For first term:
6x
6x 3
2x
3
For second term:
4
4 3
3
For third term (a bit different from the last two):
4
y 3(x2 2x )
3
So you get:
2) Do completing the square for the stuff inside the brackets. Remember to keep the
3 and the curved brackets around everything:
4
y 3(x2 2x )
3
The middle term is 2
2
2 2 1
2
Middle term 2 =
Square the answer = 12 = 1
4

Need to put +1 and 1 between 2 and 3

4
)
2
y 3(x 2x+1 1 3
3) Proceed as normal.
2

The x 2x1 bit becomes [x1] . Open with a square bracket, write x, then the
minus sign, then the 1 (which was the original middle term 2), then close with a
square bracket. Overall, you get:
4
y 3([x1]2 1 )
3
1

Convert the 1 near the end into 1

1 3
3

3
Then make it over 3 (common denominator): 1 3
3 4
)
2
y 3([x1] 3 3
7
y 3([x1]2 )
3
4) Need to re-expand (times the 3 at the front in). Round brackets disappear
7
y 3[x1]2 3
3
3
7
y 3[x1]2
1 3 cancel the 3s, then change the square brackets into round ones.
2

y 3(x1)2 7

Turning point is (1, 7)

Additional notes:

number
1
Remember that a number by itself can always be written as
2
3
1000
23
2x
2 , 3 ,1000
, 23
, 2x
1
1
1
1
1
e.g.
4
1
3
This is crucial for doing stuff like
4
1
3
o
3
1
4

o = 13 3 (common denominator)
3 4
7

o = 3 3= 3
In step 4, we need to times the 3 at the front (the one we factorised out in step 1, and
had been keeping outside of round brackets), otherwise we wont get the right answer
for the y-coordinate of the turning point.
If the x2 had a number and a ve sign in front of it, you have to factorise out the
number and the ve sign at the same time. When factorising out the ve sign, dont
forget to reverse all the signs
e.g.

y 2x2 12x12
y 2(x2 6x 6)