Question

Arrange the following polynomial into descending order and identify the 3rd term.

18x + 2x3 − 3x2 + 10

18x

2x3

−3x2

10

Answer 1

@Yahoo! do you know this one?

Answer 2

@phi do you know this one?

Answer 3

@E.ali do you know this one? i really need help please.

Answer 4

they want you to put the terms in a particular order.

descending order means big to small (you are going down or descending)

the definition of size is the *exponent* on the x
so 2x^3 is the biggest term because 3 is the biggest exponent of all the terms

what is the next term ?

Answer 5

you want to write it simply ???

Answer 6

@phi 18x would be the next term i think

Answer 7

the exponent on the x in 18 x is 1 (because 18x^1 is the same as 18x)
are you saying there is no term with an exponent bigger than 1? (other than 2x^3)

Answer 8

yes, because _3x^2 is a negative so it owuld mean the least, right?

Answer 9

@phi :
Hi friend !
But always we dont have this .

Answer 10

no, minus or plus has nothing to do with this. the definition of size is *only* the exponent

Answer 11

so the desending order would be 2x^3, -3x^2, 18x, 10 ?

Answer 12

@csheerin1 :
Look :
we have :
(-)*(-)=(+)
So we have -3^2
Means (-3)*(-3)
k ?

Answer 13

yes. notice 10 can be written as 10 x^0 (because anything to the zero power is 1)

now pick out the 3rd term: it is 18x

Answer 14

And which one is bigger ?
9 or 8 ?

Answer 15

thanks @E.ali and @phi , i got the answer right

Answer 16

So please write it .