Final answer:
The leading term of the polynomial function h(x) = -3x² + 8x³ + x⁴ is x⁴
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks us to determine the leading term of the polynomial function h(x) = -3x² + 8x³ + x⁴. In a polynomial, the leading term is the term with the highest degree when the polynomial is expressed in standard form, with terms written in descending order by degree. The term with the highest exponent will influence the behavior of the polynomial for large values of x. In this case, the given polynomial is already in standard form.
The leading term of the polynomial h(x) = -3x² + 8x³ + x⁴ is x⁴.