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- The number part in front of an algebraic
- term, signifying multiplication. For example,
- in the expression 4x^2 + 2xy - x, the
- coefficient of x^2 is 4 (because 4x^2 means 4
- x x^2), that of xy is 2, and that of x is -1
- (because -1 X x = - x). In general algebraic
- expressions, coefficients are represented by
- letters that may stand for numbers; for
- example, in the equation ax^2 + bx + c = 0,
- a, b, and c are coefficients, which can take
- any number.
-