Is the expression #5q^-4+6q# a polynomial?

1 Answer
Daniel L.
May 18, 2017

No. It is not a polynomial. See explanation.

Explanation:

A polynomial is a sum of expressions in a form of #a_n*x^n# with natural exponents #n#.

in the given example one of the exponents is negative, therfore not natural, so it is not a polynomial.

Another difference is the domain of the expression. A polynomial is defined for all real values of the variable while the expression given is not defined for #q=0#

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