To simplify the expression \( 4 + 8(3x - 2) - 7x \), we'll follow the order of operations and apply the distributive property.
Step 1: Distribute the 8
First, we need to distribute the \( 8 \) into the parentheses:
\[ 8(3x - 2) = 8 \cdot 3x + 8 \cdot (-2) = 24x - 16 \]
Step 2: Rewrite the Expression
Now we can rewrite the original expression substituting the distributed result:
\[ 4 + (24x - 16) - 7x \]
Step 3: Combine Like Terms
Next, we combine the like terms. First, we can rearrange and combine the \( x \) terms and the constant terms:
\[ = 4 - 16 + 24x - 7x \]
Combine the constant terms:
\[ 4 - 16 = -12 \]
Now combine the \( x \) terms:
\[ 24x - 7x = 17x \]
Step 4: Write the Final Expression
Putting it all together:
\[ -12 + 17x \]
Thus, the expression \( 4 + 8(3x - 2) - 7x \) simplifies to:
\[ \boxed{17x - 12} \]