I had the textbook question:
What is the degree of the following expression:
$x^2\sqrt{y-5}$
Would it be 2.5, since it would be the sum of the exponents of $x$ (2) and $y$ (.5, I think)? Or is this wrong?
The confusing part is the exponent of $y$, because it is not $\sqrt{y}$, but $\sqrt{y-5}$. Would $y$'s exponent still be $y^{1/2}$?