Question

On a math test a​ student, Jake​, has to identify all the coefficients and constants of the expression 9y+n+5. Jake says that 9 is a coefficient and 5 is a constant. Identify all the coefficients and constants of the expression. What error might Jake have​ made?

Answer 1

The coefficients of the expression 9y+n+5 are 9 and 1, while the constant is 5. In this expression, the coefficient of the variable y is 9 and the coefficient of the variable n is 1. Jake is correct that the constant in this expression is 5.

However, Jake made an error when he said that 9 is a coefficient. In this expression, 9 is not a coefficient, but rather the coefficient of the variable y. The coefficient of a variable is a number that is multiplied by the variable, so it must be a number that is not associated with any other variables. In the expression 9y+n+5, the number 9 is associated with the variable y, so it is the coefficient of y, not a coefficient on its own.