document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=134618>Question 134618</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> how to find the degree of a polynomial </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #98483 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=vleith><B>vleith(2983)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=vleith><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/nopicture.jpg><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=98483\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> TIf the polynomial is of a single variable, then the degree of a polynomial is defined as the highest order exponent contained in the polynomial. \r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "So, if you write the polynomial \"in the normal way\" the highest order power is written as the first term.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "If the polynomial contains more than one variable, then the degree is defined as the sum of the exponents with the largest number. \r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "For instance:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "4x^3 + 2x^2 + x - 5  -- highest exponent is 3, so the degree is 3\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "4x^3y^2 + 3x^2y + 3 -- highest is 3+2 = 2\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Be careful with polynomials with more than one variable. Sometimes they order them so that the highest degree term may wel not be the 'leftmost one'\r<BR>\n" );
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