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How Do You Find the Degree of a Polynomial?

Definition: Degree of a Term or Polynomial

Summary

  1. A sum of exponents just means adding those exponents together
  2. 6x8 is a monomial of degree 8
  3. -2x6y3z is a monomial of degree 10
  4. 8 is a monomial of degree 0
  5. 2x5 has a degree of 5
  6. 2x6y3z has a degree of 10
  7. x5y2z4 has a degree of 11
  8. 11 is the highest degree of the terms, so it is the degree of the polynomial

Notes

    1. A sum of exponents just means adding those exponents together
    1. 'x' is a variable
    2. 6x8 is a monomial
    1. To find the sum of the exponents, we just need to add all the exponents together
    2. 6x8 is a monomial
    1. -2x6y3z is a monomial
    1. To find the sum of the exponents, we just need to add all the exponents together
    2. 6 + 3 + 1 = 10
    1. Anything raised to the 0 power is equal to 1
    1. So if terms of a polynomial have degrees of 0, 4, 5, and 8, the polynomial itself would have a degree of 8
    1. The degree of this polynomial will be the the highest degree of its terms
    1. 2x5 is a monomial
    1. 2x6y3z is a monomial
    2. 6 + 3 + 1 = 10
    1. x5y2z4 is a monomial
    2. 5 + 2 + 4 = 11
    1. Remember, the degree of this polynomial will be the the highest degree of its terms