No, the student is not correct. The reason is that the given polynomial, -4x^5 - 3x^4 + 8x^7, actually has three terms and a degree of 7, not 4.
In a polynomial, the number of terms is determined by the number of separate algebraic expressions connected by addition or subtraction. In this case, there are three separate expressions: -4x^5, -3x^4, and 8x^7.
The degree of a polynomial is determined by the highest exponent of the variable. In this case, the highest exponent is 7, which means the degree is 7.
So, while the student correctly identified that the polynomial has a negative leading coefficient, they made errors in stating the number of terms and the degree.
A student states that -4x^5-3x^4+8x^7 and a negative leading coefficient. 62 has four terms, a degree of 4,
Is the student correct? Explain
1 answer
1 answer