Questions: State the degree and end behavior of f(x)=-x+4x^3-x^5+1. Explain or show your reasoning.
Transcript text: 3. State the degree and end behavior of $f(x)=-x+4 x^{3}-x^{5}+1$. Explain or show your reasoning.
Solution
Solution Steps
Step 1: Identify the Degree of the Polynomial
The degree of a polynomial is the highest power of \( x \) in the expression. For \( f(x) = -x + 4x^{3} - x^{5} + 1 \), the highest power of \( x \) is \( 5 \). Therefore, the degree of the polynomial is \( 5 \).
Step 2: Determine the Leading Coefficient
The leading coefficient is the coefficient of the term with the highest degree. In \( f(x) = -x + 4x^{3} - x^{5} + 1 \), the term with the highest degree is \( -x^{5} \), so the leading coefficient is \( -1 \).
Step 3: Analyze the End Behavior
The end behavior of a polynomial is determined by its degree and leading coefficient:
If the degree is odd and the leading coefficient is positive, the graph falls to the left and rises to the right.
If the degree is odd and the leading coefficient is negative, the graph rises to the left and falls to the right.
Since the degree is \( 5 \) (odd) and the leading coefficient is \( -1 \) (negative), the graph of \( f(x) \) rises to the left and falls to the right.
Final Answer
The degree of the polynomial is \( 5 \) and the end behavior is that the graph rises to the left and falls to the right.