A polynomial where the highest power of its single variable has a coefficient of 1
In other words:
• it is a polynomial,
• it has only one variable,
• the highest power of its variable is not multiplied by anything (so x2 not 5x2 etc)
Examples:
x2 + 3 is monic
7x2 + 3 is not monic (the highest power of x2 has a coefficient of 7, not 1)
x3 + 2x2 + 3 is monic (the highest power is x3, with coefficient of 1)
x3 + 2y2 + 3 is not monic (there are two variables, x and y, not one)
