Final answer:
The degree of the polynomial 9c²d + 3cd - 5d - 2 is 3, which is the sum of the highest powers of variables c and d present in the term 9c²d. The correct option is B) 3.
Step-by-step explanation:
The degree of a polynomial is the highest power of the variable in the polynomial. In the given polynomial 9c²d + 3cd - 5d - 2, the term with the highest degree is 9c²d.
The power of variable c is 2 and the power of variable d is 1. If we add these powers, we get 2 + 1, which equals 3. Therefore, the degree of the polynomial is 3.