Question 144412
The leading term is the term in a polynomial which contains the highest power of the variable. Here, that is -x^2. The leading coefficient is the number in front of the polynomial's leading term. Here that is -1. The degree of the polynomial is the highest/largest power of the x terms. Here that is 2. Quadratic equations get their name from the Latin for square: quadratus. Thus, because the highest term is a squared term, it makes sense to call it quadratic.

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