Am I correct? Question in comments. :)

Question

secret-ninja · Answer

Classify the following expression by degree and term:

4x^2 + 3xy + 12yz

 2nd degree trinomial
 3rd degree polynomial
 12th degree trinomial
 3rd degree trinomial

secret-ninja · Answer

I think its A. :)

anonymous · Answer

A is correct!
do you know why?

mathstudent55 · Answer

Correct.

secret-ninja · Answer

Trinomial because it has 3 terms, and 2nd degree because they are all to the second degree. :)

anonymous · Answer

Yes, that is correct Ninja!

anonymous · Answer

not all of them are to the second degree

goalieboy · Answer

That would be correct @Secret-Ninja

anonymous · Answer

it is because one term has a power to the 2nd

mathstudent55 · Answer

@Ednac That is not correct.

jhannybean · Answer

You understand the degree by analyzing the polynomial with the highest exponent.

anonymous · Answer

Hmm that was what I was taught in my algebra class a few years ago, but i'll trust you. @mathstudent55

secret-ninja · Answer

Each variable that shows no exponent has an exponent of 1 right?

anonymous · Answer

yes

jhannybean · Answer

Before trusting his response, you should understand the reasoning behind it :P

anonymous · Answer

It is an assumed value

secret-ninja · Answer

Thanks guys. ^-^

mathstudent55 · Answer

The degree of each term is the sum of the exponents of all the variables of the term. A variable with no exponent has an exponent of 1.

mathstudent55 · Answer

Examples:
6x  --->  degree 1
-3x^2  ---> degree 2
-xy --->  degree 2
5x^3y^2z  --->  degree 6

mathstudent55 · Answer

The degree of a polynomial is the same as the degree of the term of highest degree.
In the problem of this post, there are three terms. All have degree 2. Since the highest degree of any term is 2, then the degree of the polynomial is also 2.