Ways to spot if an expression is not a polynomial: 1) If there is a negative exponent 2) If there is division by a variable 3) If the power is something other than a non-negative integer
If any of these conditions exist, the expression will not be a polynomial. Now consider the options. Option A has negative exponent, Option B involves division by a variable and Option D has a exponent which is not a number.
So, from the given options, option C is the only polynomial
You're in luck. The fuel consumption of the car is linear, and the slope - ie, the coefficent of the x term gives you the rate of change. In this case, it's -0.02 gallons per mile.
