Standard Form: 4a^3-5a^2+2a-1 Leading Coefficient: 4
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The standard form of a polynomial arranges the terms by degree in descending numerical order.
2a+4a^3-5a^2-1
⇕
4a^3-5a^2+2a-1
We want to find the leading coefficient of the polynomial. When written in standard form, the leading coefficient is the coefficient of the first term.
4a^3-5a^2+2a-1
The leading coefficient of the polynomial is 4.