Question

Are these monomials? If so, what degree are they?
a) -3/7mn^2p^5
b) 5a^2b/8c^3d^2

Answer 1

\[-\frac{3}{7}mn^{2}p^{5}\text{ and }\frac{5a^{2}b}{8c^{3}d^{2}}?\]

Answer 2

Yes

Answer 3

A monomial is a polynomial with one term
example \[3y^2 \]

Answer 4

a binomial is a polynomial with two terms
example
\[3y^2+x \]

Answer 5

a trinomial is a polynomial with three terms
Example
\[3y^2+x+2\]

Answer 6

So both are monomials?

Answer 7

yeah... because both of them are one term. Now we need to find the degree.

Answer 8

The first one has a degree of 8?

Answer 9

ummmmmm whoa. the degree is the variable with the highest number

Answer 10

I thought you add the exponents

Answer 11

so its 5?

Answer 12

yeah you add the exponents...sorry about that. it does become 8 for the first one because it's the sum of the variables. so that first one was 1+2+5 = 8. sorry about that ^^

Answer 13

Its okay. For the second one i got -2 but can the degree be negative?

Answer 14

2+1-3-2 = 3-3-2 = 0-2 = -2 I got that as well
the degree can't be negative though for degree... it needs to be a positive number.

Answer 15

I'm probably repeating words because my glasses are dirty and I need to clean them :/

Answer 16

So what do we do about the negative degree?

Answer 17

Because (a) has degree 2 with highest number b=1,c=-3 and d=-2

Answer 18

if I re-write the second monomial
\[\frac{5}{8}a^{2}bc^{-3}d^{-2}\] there's negative exponents so it's not a polynomial at all... not a monomial on this one.

Answer 19

Yes ,second one is not a monomial

Answer 20

negative degrees :/

Answer 21

a BIG NO NO because we need a non-zero exponent for polynomials ... and that applies to monomials, binomials, and trinomials as well

Answer 22

Ok i get it thank u!