Question

What is the leading term, leading coefficient, and degree of this polynomial `f(x)= x^2(sqrt2) + x - 5`?

Answer 1

Leading term `sqrt(2)x^2`, Leading coefficient: `sqrt2`, Degree `2`.

Explanation:

`f(x) = x^2(sqrt2) + x +5`

We can write this as:

`f(x) = sqrt2x^2 + x +5`

This is a quadratic in standard form: `ax^2+bx +c`
Where: `a=sqrt2, b=1 and c=5`

Hence, Leading term: `sqrt(2)x^2` and leading coefficient: `sqrt2`.

Also, a quadratic function is of degree 2, since the leading term is of `x` to the power `2`