Final answer:
The expression (-3x - 12) (17 5x) can be simplified to -1275x².
Step-by-step explanation:
The expression can be simplified by multiplying the terms inside the parentheses:
(-3x - 12) (17 5x) = -3x * 17 * 5x - 12 * 17 * 5x
Next, we can combine like terms and multiply the coefficients and variables:
-3x * 17 * 5x - 12 * 17 * 5x = -255x² - 1020x²
Finally, we can combine the like terms to write the expression using the fewest possible terms:
-255x² - 1020x² = -1275x²