Question

How do you find the vertex and axis of symmetry of `f(x)= 3x^2 + 12x + 1`?

Answer 1

This is a quadratic equation of a parabola (the squared term gives it away)

`y = ax^2+bx+c`

the vertex is located where `x = -b/(2a)`

this occurs where `x = -12/(2 xx 3)` or at `x = -2`

substitute into the equation to figure out the y coordinate of the vertex.
The axis of symmetry is the vertical line passing through the vertex which is `x = -2`