Question

For the polynomial 8x3y2 – x?y2 + 3xy2 – 4y3 to be fully simplified and written in standard form, the missing exponent on the x-term must be

Answer 1

Short answer: 2

Why?

The missing x term is between an exponent of 3 and 1. Because this is standard form, we put the biggest exponent first and then go down the list. Therefore, it must be 2.

Good luck!

-RxL

Answer 2

In writing the standard form, the order of the exponents of the terms must be decreasing from left to right. Looking at the first term on the left, the exponent of x is 3. Looking at the third term from the left, the exponent of x is 1. Therefore, the missing exponent on the x-term must be 2.