Final answer:
The degree of the polynomial f(x) = 33x⁴ + 524x³ - 2x² + 502x + 2 is 4, as the highest exponent of x in the polynomial is 4.
Step-by-step explanation:
The degree of a polynomial is determined by the highest power of the variable that appears in the polynomial with a non-zero coefficient. In the given polynomial f(x) = 33x⁴ + 524x³ - 2x² + 502x + 2, the term with the highest power of x is 33x⁴, which means that the degree of the polynomial is 4. Therefore, the correct answer to the question 'What is the degree of the following polynomial? f(x) = 33x⁴ + 524x³ - 2x² + 502x + 2' is C) 4.