Video: Finding the Leading Coefficient of an Algebraic Expression

Video Transcript

What is the leading coefficient in the following expression: five 𝑏 to the fourth plus two 𝑏 squared plus three? What exactly is the leading coefficient?

The leading coefficient is the number placed before the variable with the highest power.

We have two options. We have five 𝑏 to the fourth plus two 𝑏 squared. Which of these has the highest power? That would be five times 𝑏 to the fourth; 𝑏 to the fourth has a higher power than 𝑏 squared. And the number placed before the 𝑏 to the fourth power is a five. Its coefficient 𝑏 to the fourth power has a coefficient of five, a constant of five. Our leading coefficient in this expression would be five.