Question

find the number of terms and the degree of this polynomial.
-b³ - b² - 2b - 1
number of terms:
degree:

Explanation:

Step1: Identify Terms

A term is a single number, variable, or product of numbers and variables separated by + or - signs. In \(-b^3 - b^2 - 2b - 1\), the terms are \(-b^3\), \(-b^2\), \(-2b\), \(-1\). Count them: 4 terms.

Step2: Determine Degree

The degree of a polynomial is the highest power of the variable. For \(-b^3\) (power 3), \(-b^2\) (power 2), \(-2b\) (power 1), \(-1\) (power 0). The highest power is 3.

Answer:

Number of terms: 4
Degree: 3