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Explain how to find the degree of a polynomial.
To find the degree of a polynomial, you need to consider the highest power or exponent of the variable in the polynomial expression. The degree of a polynomial can be determined by following these steps:
1. Identify the polynomial expression: The polynomial expression is a sum or difference of terms, where each term consists of a coefficient multiplied by a variable raised to a power.
2. Identify the highest power of the variable: Look at each term in the polynomial expression and determine the power of the variable in each term. The power is the exponent of the variable.
3. Find the highest power: Determine the largest power among all the terms. This highest power represents the degree of the polynomial.
For example, let's consider the polynomial expression: 3x^3 + 2x^2 - 5x + 1.
In this expression, the variable is "x". The first term is 3x^3, where the power of "x" is 3. The second term is 2x^2, where the power of "x" is 2. The third term is -5x, where the power of "x" is 1. The last term is 1, where the power of "x" is 0 (since any number raised to the power of 0 is 1).
The highest power among all the terms is 3, which corresponds to the term 3x^3. Therefore, the degree of the polynomial is 3.
In summary, to find the degree of a polynomial, identify the term with the highest power of the variable and that highest power represents the degree.