Final answer:
The leading coefficient of the polynomial 2u⁴+u+18u⁵-u⁷ is -1, as it is the coefficient of the term with the highest power of u when arranged in standard form.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks about the leading coefficient of the polynomial 2u⁴+u+18u⁵-u⁷. The leading coefficient is the coefficient of the term with the highest power of u when the polynomial is written in standard form, meaning the terms are ordered from the highest power to the lowest power. So, to find the leading coefficient, we should first rearrange the terms in descending order of powers.
Rearranging the terms gives us -u⁷+18u⁵+2u⁴+u. The term with the highest power of u is -u⁷, so the leading coefficient of this polynomial is -1.