The problem asks to use the distributive property to expand and simplify the expression $4(x - 3)$.

To apply the distributive property, multiply each term inside the parentheses by 4:

$4(x - 3) = 4 \cdot x - 4 \cdot 3$

This simplifies to:

$4x - 12$

So, the expanded and simplified expression is:

$4x - 12$

Would you like further details or have any questions about this? Here are some related questions for practice:

1. What would $5(2x + 4)$ simplify to?
2. How would you simplify $3(x + 7)$?
3. What is the distributive property used for in solving equations?
4. If $7(x - 2) = 21$, how do you solve for $x$?
5. What happens if there is a negative sign outside the parentheses, like $-2(x - 5)$?

Tip: Always distribute both the variable and constant terms when using the distributive property!