The degree of a monomial (or term) is the sum of the number of times each variable appears as a factor.
The degree of a polynomial is the largest degree of each of the terms.
The degree of the term 7z9 is nine. [Recall that 7z9 is the same as 7�z�z�z�z�z�z�z�z�z, which has nine variable factors (all z′s).]
The degree of the term -3x2 is two. [Recall that -3x2 is the same as -3•x�x, which has two variable factors (all x′s).]
The degree of the term 5x is one. [Recall that 5x1 is the same as 5�x, which has one variable factor (an x).]
The degree of the term 5 is zero. [There are zero variable factors.]
5x2 - 8x - 4
The degree of the term 5x2 is two.
The degree of the term -8x is one.
The degree of the term -4 is zero.
The largest degree of each of the terms is two.
The degree of the polynomial 5x2 - 8x - 4 is two.
55x2 + 3x4 + 137
The degree of the term 55x2 is two.
The degree of the term 3x4 is four.
The degree of the term 137 is zero.
The largest degree of each of the terms is four.
The degree of the polynomial 55x2 + 3x4 + 137 is four.