Question

How do you write the polynomial `4x + x + 2` in standard form and then classify it by degree and by number of terms?

Answer 1

This equation has two terms and is to the degree of 1.

Explanation:

Standard form is when it is both as simplified as possible, and ordered with your highest exponent first, and counting down.

This is already in the proper ordering, so we simplify the one thing we can.

`color(blue)(4x+x)+2 rArr color(blue)(5x)+2`

The degree is the highest exponent. Since it's in standard form, you can always check the first term, or number in the equation. In this case, it's `5x`, which we see is to the power of`color(white)(.)^1`. Thus, this is to the degree of 1.

Secondly, you can find out the number of terms by simply counting how many numbers are in your equation once in standard form. By numbers, I mean each item separated by a `+` or a `-`.

`5x_1+2_2`

Two terms in the equation.