Two students are analyzing the expression 3x7y5
Jessica states that the expression is a binomial with a degree of 12. Sam states that the expression is a monomial with a degree of 7.
Is either student correct? Justify your answer.
Neither student is correct.
Jessica is incorrect because a binomial is an algebraic expression with two terms, but the given expression has only one term. Additionally, the degree of a term is the sum of the exponents of its variables, so the degree of the given expression would be 7 + 5 = 12, not 12.
Sam is incorrect because a monomial is an algebraic expression with one term, which the given expression is. However, the degree of a monomial is the sum of the exponents of its variables, which in this case would be 3 + 7 + 5 = 15, not 7.
Therefore, the given expression is a monomial with a degree of 15.