Question
(From Unit 2, Lesson 7.) State the degree and end behavior of f(x)=5x^3-2x^4-6x^2-3x+7 E splain or show your reasoning.
Solution
4
(328 Votes)
Fletcher
Master ยท Tutor for 5 years
Answer
### The degree of the function is 4. As
approaches positive or negative infinity, the function will approach negative infinity.
Explanation
## Step 1: Identify the Degree of the Polynomial### The degree of a polynomial is the highest power of the variable in the polynomial. For the given polynomial \(f(x) = 5x^3 - 2x^4 - 6x^2 - 3x + 7\), the highest power of
is 4.## Step 2: Determine the Leading Coefficient### The leading coefficient is the coefficient of the term with the highest power. In this polynomial, the term with the highest power is
, so the leading coefficient is -2.## Step 3: Analyze the End Behavior### The end behavior of a polynomial function is determined by the degree and the leading coefficient. Since the degree is 4 (even) and the leading coefficient is -2 (negative), as
approaches positive or negative infinity, \(f(x)\) will approach negative infinity.