The number is -2.
Squaring -2 is positive 4. And 4*(-2) = -8. The problem says the square is 12 more than four times the number. If you subtract -8 from 4 (which looks like 4 - (-8)), you get 12, meaning that 4 is 12 more than -8.
The square of a negative number is twelve more than four times the negative number. Find the number?