Determine the degree and the leading coefficient of the polynomial function f(x) = -2x3 (x - 1)(x + 5).
A. 5; -2
B. 7; -4
C. 2; -5
D. 1; -9
My answer is A is this correct.
If -2x3 mean:
- 2 x^3
your answer is correct.
To determine the degree and leading coefficient of the polynomial function, we need to simplify the given equation.
The function f(x) = -2x^3 (x - 1)(x + 5) is a product of three factors: -2x^3, (x - 1), and (x + 5).
First, let's determine the degree of the polynomial function. The degree of a polynomial is the highest power of the variable present in the equation. In this case, the highest power of x is 3, which is found in the term -2x^3. Therefore, the degree of the polynomial is 3.
Next, let's find the leading coefficient. The leading coefficient is the coefficient of the term with the highest power of the variable. In this case, the term with the highest power of x is -2x^3. Hence, the leading coefficient is -2.
So, the correct answer is A. The degree of the polynomial function is 3, and the leading coefficient is -2.