A quadratic equation is defined as a polynomial equation of degree 2. This means that the highest power of the variable in the equation is squared, typically expressed in the general form of ax² + bx + c = 0, where a, b, and c are constants and a ≠ 0.
The degree of a polynomial is determined by the term with the highest exponent. In the case of a quadratic equation, since the highest exponent is 2 (from x²), the degree is therefore 2. This characteristic is fundamental to the behavior of quadratic equations, influencing both their graphical representation and the nature of their roots.