Meaning & use
leading coefficient
The coefficient of the term with the highest power in a polynomial written in standard form.
See it in a sentence
In the polynomial 3x^2 + 5x - 2, the leading coefficient is 3.
A negative leading coefficient tells you the graph of the polynomial falls at the far right.
A note on using this word
The leading coefficient, together with the degree of the polynomial, determines the end behavior of its graph.
Words with a similar meaning
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