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What is the degree of a polynomial function?
AIts count of separate terms
BIts coefficient on the last term
CIts value when the input is 0
DIts highest power of the variable
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: D. Its highest power of the variable
1. Write the polynomial in general form, with powers descending.
2. The degree of the polynomial is the highest power of the variable that occurs in it.
3. The term carrying that highest power is the leading term, and its coefficient is the leading coefficient.
_Source: OpenStax Precalculus (CC BY 4.0), section 3.3 Power Functions and Polynomial Functions_