Thread: Naming Polynomials

I need to name this polynomial. y=(x+4)(x+1)(x-3)

Would it be a cubic polynomial because it's all multiplying, or would it be a linear?

Please explain it to me..
Thanks

The terms "cubic" and "linear" refer to the form of a polynomial that is a sum of monomials. A monomial is a coefficient multiplied by some power of x. Therefore, to decide if this polynomial is cubic or linear, you have to multiply through and to represent this polynomial as a sum of powers of x with some coefficients.

Note, however, that whether it is cubic or linear depends only on the highest power of any monomial, so you don't need to find the coefficients.

It all depends on the meanings of "cubic" and "linear". Do you know what those mean?