Solution - Simplification or other simple results

Step  1  :

Equation at the end of step  1  :

  (3x2 -  4x) -  4

Step  2  :

Trying to factor by splitting the middle term

 2.1     Factoring  3x²-4x-4 

The first term is,  3x²  its coefficient is  3 .
The middle term is,  -4x  its coefficient is  -4 .
The last term, "the constant", is  -4 

Step-1 : Multiply the coefficient of the first term by the constant   3 • -4 = -12 

Step-2 : Find two factors of  -12  whose sum equals the coefficient of the middle term, which is   -4 .

Step-3 : Rewrite the polynomial splitting the middle term using the two factors found in step 2 above,  -6  and  2 
                     3x² - 6x + 2x - 4

Step-4 : Add up the first 2 terms, pulling out like factors :
                    3x • (x-2)
              Add up the last 2 terms, pulling out common factors :
                    2 • (x-2)
Step-5 : Add up the four terms of step 4 :
                    (3x+2)  •  (x-2)
             Which is the desired factorization

Final result :

  (x - 2) • (3x + 2)