State the degree: rst+r^2s^2+r^3s^2

would the answer be the highest exponent (3) or all exponents added together (9)?

Question

State the degree: rst+r^2s^2+r^3s^2

would the answer be the highest exponent (3) or all exponents added together (9)?

sharkfinsoup · Answer

I went on mathwarehouse.com and they said that you just choose the largest one.

sharkfinsoup · Answer

Ok so 3 was wrong and this was their reasoning "The correct answer is: 5. Remember that the degree of a polynomial is equal to the highest degree of any of its terms." so you have to treat rs as a pair?

nnesha · Answer

well not for this polynomial bec there are 3 variables 
so in this case the highest degree would  be the sum of all the exponents in each term
$$r^1 s^1 t^1 = 1+1+1=3$$
so the first term has a degree of 3

sharkfinsoup · Answer

oh ok the next one would be 4 and the last term would be 5 which is the highest one

nnesha · Answer

correct

sharkfinsoup · Answer

ok thank you

nnesha · Answer

yw :=))

jerry45 · Answer

no