Simplify (12x-14) - (3x+9) - (-4-1)

(12x-14) - (3x+9) - (-4-1)

= 9x-18

12x-3x=9x

-14-9+4+1=-18

*Subtracting a group of numbers in parenthesis is the same as - 1 times what every is in the parenthesis.

So it would be (12x-14) + (-3x-9) + (4+1) ... which makes the equation alot easier to simplify.