Question

what is the degree of the expression five ×2squred - three ×4squared +two× - seven +nine × 3 squared

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Answer 1

The expression is of second degree.

An expression is made up of terms and each term is separated from the others by a '+' or a '-'.

If you have: abc + 2/x+1; you have two terms.

If you have: 1 - 2; you have two terms.

If you have: $\sqrt{\frac{\sqrt{xy^{6} } }{9x^{2} } }$ you have one term, since there are no additions or subtractions in it.

When your expression has only one term, its expression will be the sum of all the exponents in the term.

For example: $bx^{2}$

Your expression is third degree, because 'b' is raised to 1, and x is raised to 2, and 2 + 1 is 3.

Another example: $x^{3} yz^{4}$

Your expression is eighth degree, because 'x' is raised to 3, 'y' is raised to 1 and 'x' is raised to 4. (3 + 1 + 4 is 8).

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Now, if your expression has more than one term (as in this case), its degree will be the degree of the term that has the highest degree.

For example: $x^{7} + mx^{2} - z^{4} - 5$

It is of the seventh degree, since it "$x^{7}$" is the term with the highest degree.

If all the terms have the same degree, then the degree of the expression will be that degree.

In the end it is all about the exponents, the degree depends on them.