Final answer:
The expression -t⁵-t² is a polynomial because it consists of variables raised to whole numbers exponents, with real number coefficients, and a finite number of terms.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine if the expression -t⁵-t² is a polynomial, we must check it against the criteria for what constitutes a polynomial.
- Polynomials consist of variables raised to whole number exponents.
- Polynomials have coefficients that are real numbers.
- The terms in a polynomial are finite in number.
The given expression, -t⁵-t², meets all these conditions:
- The variable t is raised to whole number exponents (5 and 2).
- The coefficients of the terms are -1 (understood in both terms), which is a real number.
- There are finitely many terms, specifically two terms in this case.
Therefore, the expression -t⁵-t² is indeed a polynomial.