Which term describes a polynomial with degree 2?

Which term describes a polynomial with degree 2?

• A. Exponential function
• B. Logarithmic function
• C. Quadratic
• D. Syntax error

Answer: (C)

A polynomial's degree is the highest power of the variable that appears with a nonzero coefficient. If that highest power is 2, the polynomial is called quadratic. For example, a x^2 + b x + c is a quadratic, and its graph forms a parabola. This distinguishes it from exponential functions, where the variable sits in the exponent, and from logarithmic functions, which involve logarithms. A syntax error isn’t a mathematical concept at all, so it doesn’t describe a polynomial. So the term describing a polynomial with degree 2 is quadratic.

A polynomial's degree is the highest power of the variable that appears with a nonzero coefficient. If that highest power is 2, the polynomial is called quadratic. For example, a x^2 + b x + c is a quadratic, and its graph forms a parabola. This distinguishes it from exponential functions, where the variable sits in the exponent, and from logarithmic functions, which involve logarithms. A syntax error isn’t a mathematical concept at all, so it doesn’t describe a polynomial. So the term describing a polynomial with degree 2 is quadratic.