59.1k views
4 votes
Classify each polynomial by its degree and by its number of terms.

Classify each polynomial by its degree and by its number of terms.-example-1

1 Answer

1 vote

Answer:

a. Degree 4; 2 terms

b. Degree 2; 3 terms

c. Degree 3; 1 term

Explanation:

Here, all you need is a few definitions. The "degree" of a polynomial is just the highest exponent you see, and be careful with this, because sometimes the exponents won't be arranged from high to low. In this case, they are. In a polynomial, a "term" is basically anything that sits between a plus/minus operation (i.e in 5x + 4, 5x and 4 are both "terms").

a. What's the highest exponent you see? 4. So the degree is 4. You have 5x^4 and 8 separated by a minus sign, so that'll be 2 terms.

b. The highest exponent here is just 2, so it's a degree 2 polynomial. Two minus signs, so count 'em up: 3 terms.

c. Highest exponent is 3, and since 9m^3 sits on its own, you only have the one term.

Note that something like 3abc is one term. 3a/b is also one term. So is 4ab^2cd. If it's being multiplied or divided, they're together like a family. Addition or subtraction separates terms; multiplication and division don't.

User Tyler Youngblood
by
8.7k points

No related questions found

Welcome to QAmmunity.org, where you can ask questions and receive answers from other members of our community.