1. The problem is to simplify the expression $$(3a^2 + 1) - (4 + 2a^2)$$. 2. Use the distributive property to remove the parentheses: $$3a^2 + 1 - 4 - 2a^2$$. 3. Combine like terms: $$3a^2 - 2a^2 + 1 - 4 = (3a^2 - 2a^2) + (1 - 4) = a^2 - 3$$. 4. The simplified expression is $$a^2 - 3$$. This means you subtract the coefficients of the $a^2$ terms and the constants separately.