Help simplifying an expression for Algebra class?

Question

Can someone simplify this expression and tell me how you got your answer step by step. I'm not trying to get the easy way out of doing it myself, I'm just caught up on a few things. Thanks!

-3(a^2+a+1)-4(-a^2-a+1)

Answer 1

first distribute -3 and -4 to become

-3a^2-3a-3+4a^2+4a-4

then group the terms by their degrees

(-3a^2+4a^2)+(-3a+4a)+(-3-4)

simplify the equation to get

a^2+a-7

Answer 2

You start with:

-3(a^2+a+1)-4(-a^2-a+1)

Step 1: Expand by distribution

So you get:

-3a^2 - 3a - 3 + 4a^2 + 4a - 4

Step 2: Combine like terms

So you get:

a^2 + a -7

and thats your answer

a^2 + a - 7

Hope thats clear enough. Just go slowly and carefully and you should be fine.