What is the degree of the polynomial -4x^3 + 2x^2y - 5xy^4?

Question

anonymous · Answer

because 4 is highest power

compassionate · Answer

Hi, the degree of a polynomial is it's highest power. You want to rearrange it from the highest power to the lowest power. Therefore... $$-5xy^4  - 4x^3 + 2x^2y$$ 

We know the highest power is four, but what would we call that in terms of degrees?

anonymous · Answer

Thank you! I just wanted some confirmation that I was doing it right. My teacher said to look for the value of the largest exponent, which would be 4.

compassionate · Answer

Right, but "4" itself would not be correct. You would say, "This is a polynomial to the fourth degree."