Completing the Square: Tips for Solving Equations with Coefficients

[musicfairy]

So far all the completing the square problems I've done do not have a coefficient in front of the highest power. This one has me stuck. :( What should I do to complete the square?

 

[Bohrok]

Factor the leading coefficient out of all the terms and then complete the square.

 

[HallsofIvy]

(x-a)²= x²+ 2ax+ a². After you have factored out that leading 4, what is "a"?

 

[musicfairy]

So would it be something like this?

4(y² − y +1/4) − 3 − 1
4(y− 1/2)² − 4

 

[Mark44]

It would be a lot like that.