Final answer:
The degree of the polynomial is 2, which is the highest power of y, and the leading coefficient is -1, which is the coefficient of the term with the highest power.
Step-by-step explanation:
The degree of a polynomial is the highest power of the variable in the polynomial. After sorting the terms in descending order of powers, the polynomial from the question is 8y0 - y2 - 23 + 10y. Observing the terms, the highest power of the variable y is 2, which comes from the term -y2. Therefore, the degree of the polynomial is 2. The leading coefficient is the coefficient of the term with the highest power after the polynomial is written in standard form, which in this case, is -1. Thus, the correct answer to the student's question is: Degree is 2 and the Leading Coefficient is -1. Answer choice (a) Degree: 8, Leading Coefficient: -1 is the correct one.