As per the given statement where Kate and ismaila were describing the parts of the expression , the correct answer is "C. neither student is correct".
Both Kate and Ismaila have inaccurately described parts of the expression. Ismaila stated that "20 is a factor in the product 20xy," but this is incorrect. In the expression 20xy, 20 is not a factor; rather, it is the coefficient of the term. Kate's statement that "20 is the coefficient" is also incorrect. While 20 is indeed a coefficient, it is not the only coefficient in the expression; the variable term "xy" also contributes to the overall coefficient.
In mathematical terms, the expression 20xy can be broken down into two parts: 20 (the coefficient) and xy (the variable term). A coefficient is a numerical factor that multiplies a variable, and in this case, 20 is the coefficient associated with the variable term xy.
Therefore, "neither Ismaila nor Kate accurately described the nature of 20 in the expression 20xy". Understanding the distinction between coefficients and factors is crucial in algebraic expressions.