What are the degree and leading coefficient of the polynomial? \[ 23 u+18-u^{8}-6 u^{7} \] Degree: Leading coefficient:

To determine the degree and leading coefficient of the polynomial \[ 23u + 18 - u^8 - 6u^7, \] we follow these steps: 1. **Identify the degree of the polynomial**: The degree of a polynomial is the highest power of the variable \( u \) in the polynomial. In this case, the terms are: - \( 23u \) (degree 1) - \( 18 \) (degree 0) - \( -u^8 \) (degree 8) - \( -6u^7 \) (degree 7) The highest degree among these terms is 8, which comes from the term \( -u^8 \). 2. **Identify the leading coefficient**: The leading coefficient is the coefficient of the term with the highest degree. In this polynomial, the term with the highest degree is \( -u^8 \), and its coefficient is -1. Thus, we conclude: - Degree: \( 8 \) - Leading coefficient: \( -1 \)