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Parentheses play an important role in arithmetic, helping to clearly define the order in which operations should be carried out. When you see an expression with parentheses, always start by simplifying the part inside the parentheses first.
For example, in the expression 18 - 2(3 + 4), you need to start by solving the inner part: (3 + 4).
By simplifying the parentheses first, you break down complex expressions into smaller, easier parts to manage. It's like following a recipe step-by-step.
Remember, if there are nested parentheses (parentheses inside parentheses), start with the innermost one and work outwards.

Multiplication is a basic arithmetic operation where you add a number to itself a certain number of times. After you've handled any parentheses, multiplication comes next in the order of operations, often remembered by the acronym PEMDAS (Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division, Addition and Subtraction).
In our example, after simplifying the parentheses to get 7, you then multiply this result by 2 (since the original expression was 18 - 2(3 + 4)). So, you compute 2 multiplied by 7 to get 14.
Think of multiplication as a quicker way to add repeated numbers. It's essential to perform multiplication before moving on to addition or subtraction to get the correct result.

Subtraction is the process of taking one number away from another. It is the final operation in our given example.
After you've simplified the parentheses (3 + 4) to get 7 and multiplied by 2 to get 14, you are left with the subtraction operation: 18 - 14.
Here, you simply take 14 away from 18, which gives you 4.
Always remember to follow the proper order of operations, or your final answer could be incorrect. Subtraction usually comes last unless other operations exist to dictate otherwise.
With subtraction, it's like counting down a set of steps, making sure you're taking away the correct amount each time.