Question

Arrange the following polynomial into descending order for x, then interpret the degree of the 2nd term.

7x^3y^3 + 4 − 11x^5y^2 − 3x^2y

7
6
5
3

Answer 1

Look at each term, but in each term only look at the exponent of x.
Then rewrite all terms in descending order of the exponent x, no matter what the exponent of y is.

Answer 2

Once you have it in descending order of x, then look at the second term.
The degree of a term is the sum of all the exponents of all the variables of the term.

Answer 3

can you give me an example ?

Answer 4

@mathstudent55

Answer 5

Here is an example:
(a) Arrange the following polynomial in descending order for x, then (b) interpret the degree of the second term:
4x^2y^4 - 5x^6y + 2x^3y^2 - 9xy^2

Solution:
(a) - 5x^6y + 2x^3y^2 + 4x^2y^4 - 9xy^2
(Note that the order of the exponent of x is descending.)
(b) The second term is 2x^3y^2
The exponents on the variables are 3 and 2
3 + 2 = 5, so the degree of the second term is 5.