What is the difference between a constant and a coefficient?

Answer 1

In a linear equation given as y = mx + c, the c represents a constant. This is because the x- and y- variables don't directly influence it, and it remains exactly what it is - constant - no matter what.The m is the coefficient - the value which provides scale. It also remains constant, but it is coupled to the variable of this equation, x.

In the quadratic equation y = ax2+ bx + c, the 'c' here is a constant, and both 'a' and 'b' are coefficients.Both 'a' and 'b' are attached to the variable x, so both are considered coefficients. This rule holds true for all orders of polynomials.

(Important note: The letter 'c' is not always used to represent the constant value in an equation, so watch out - so long as it isn't influenced by the variable of the equation, it's the constant.)

Answer 2

A constant is just a number, while a coefficient is associated by one or more variables, for example -2x, 5x2y, -zw, ect. We say that a coefficient is the numerical part of a term.