I've run into stumbling block here, is some sort of conversion required when your equation looks like: (x+1/2)^2 = 12(y - 3). Do I move it to standard form or can I graph it as is?
The answer might depend on your skill in graphing.
Usually, it's easier to isolate one variable [now called the dependent] in terms of another variable [the independent].
Then you can run different values for the independent variable and quickly get the corrseponding values for the dependent one.
Some software, like the desmos calculator, can handle your original "implicit form".