Re: Prefixes?

On Oct 2, 6:01 pm, Master Fruity Loops <kyle.kruc...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I have a relatively simple question,

If a monomial is X+4 (just some random number)
A quadratic is X^2+X+4 (again, just some random number)
A cubic is X^3+X^2+X+4 (Must I repeat myself?)
And a quartic is X^4...+4,

Where do they get quad (in quadratic) from? In what way does it
reference anything even remotely to the number 4? I get "quartic"
being like... 4 quarts in a gallon, but quadratic? And what are the
higher powers than 4?

Bonus question - How do you know when to use pent- (as in pentagon)
and when to use quint (as in...quintuplet)?

Thanks!

I had a teacher explain the quadratics are called such because the
highest power is a square, a square has four sides.

.

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