Question

How do you write a polynomial in standard form, then classify it by degree and number of terms `3a^3b – 4ab^2 + a2`?

Answer 1

`3a^3 b - 4ab^2 + a2` should be arranged as it already is.
The "degree" of the first term is `4`.
The degree of the second term is 3, and the last one is 1 (`2a^1`).

Explanation:

"Standard Form" for a polynomial puts the highest exponent terms first, with the other in decreasing order. The "degree" is the level of the highest exponent power. Multiple exponent levels on one term are added.
`3a^3 b - 4ab^2 + a2` should be arranged as it already is, with the `a^3` term having the highest exponent. The "degree" of the first term is the sum of both exponents, `3 + 1 = 4`. The degree of the second term is 3, and the last one is 1 (`2a^1`).

http://www.mathsisfun.com/algebra/polynomials.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Degree_of_a_polynomial