What is the degree of the polynomial #3x^2y-5x^2#?

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Answer 1 · 2015-06-26T18:27:47

It is degree #3#.

The degree of a polynomial is the degree of the highest degree term that has non-zero coefficient.

The degree of a term is the sum of the powers on the variables in that term. A non-zero constant term has degree #0#.

This polynomial can be written as

#3x^2y^1-5x^2#

And the degree of each term is

#3x^2y^1rarr3#
#5x^2rarr2#

Since #3>2#, the degree of the entire polynomial is #3#.