Which of the following is a trinomial with a constant term?

A. 4x4 - 3x2 + x
B. 2x2 - 5 + x
C. -3 + 4x4
D. 4x4 + 2x2 - 2x

Question

Which of the following is a trinomial with a constant term?

 		A.	4x4 - 3x2 + x
 		B.	2x2 - 5 + x
 		C.	-3 + 4x4
 		D.	4x4 + 2x2 - 2x

anonymous · Answer

A trinomial means an expression that has only 3 terms
A constant means a term that doesn't have an 'x' attached to it

mathmale · Answer

Yes, and this might be even clearer if we were to write C in standard form:$$4x^4 + 0x - 3$$

anonymous · Answer

So it's C

mathmale · Answer

Actually, since this is a fourth-order polynomial, this should be $$4x^4 + 0x^3 + 0x^2 + 0x - 3$$   which surely has more than 3 terms and thus, strictly speaking, is not a trinomial.  Look over the other choices again, please.  Could the constant term possiby be zero?

mathmale · Answer

I think your best bet is to interpret "trinomial" as one whose highest power is 2:  x^2.  Thus, you'd have to throw out all the terms with powers higher than x^2.