Step 1: Identify constants $ a $ , $ b $ and $ c $.
$ a $ is a number in front of the $ x^2 $ term $ b $ is a number in front of the $ x $ term and $ c $ is a constant. In this case:
Step 2: Multiply the leading coefficient $\color{blue}{ a = 4 }$ by the constant term $\color{blue}{c = -12} $.
$$ a \cdot c = -48 $$Step 3: Find out two numbers that multiply to $ a \cdot c = -48 $ and add to $ b = 13 $.
Step 4: All pairs of numbers with a product of $ -48 $ are:
| PRODUCT = -48 | |
| -1 48 | 1 -48 |
| -2 24 | 2 -24 |
| -3 16 | 3 -16 |
| -4 12 | 4 -12 |
| -6 8 | 6 -8 |
Step 5: Find out which factor pair sums up to $\color{blue}{ b = 13 }$
| PRODUCT = -48 and SUM = 13 | |
| -1 48 | 1 -48 |
| -2 24 | 2 -24 |
| -3 16 | 3 -16 |
| -4 12 | 4 -12 |
| -6 8 | 6 -8 |
Step 6: Replace middle term $ 13 x $ with $ 16x-3x $:
$$ 4x^{2}+13x-12 = 4x^{2}+16x-3x-12 $$Step 7: Apply factoring by grouping. Factor $ 4x $ out of the first two terms and $ -3 $ out of the last two terms.
$$ 4x^{2}+16x-3x-12 = 4x\left(x+4\right) -3\left(x+4\right) = \left(4x-3\right) \left(x+4\right) $$