1. Let's start by stating the problem: What is a monic quadratic trinomial? 2. A quadratic trinomial is a polynomial of degree 2 with three terms, generally written as $$ax^2 + bx + c$$ where $a$, $b$, and $c$ are constants and $a \neq 0$. 3. A monic quadratic trinomial is a special type of quadratic trinomial where the leading coefficient $a$ is exactly 1. So it looks like $$x^2 + bx + c$$. 4. Important rules: - The coefficient of $x^2$ must be 1. - The polynomial still has three terms: the squared term, the linear term, and the constant term. 5. Example: $$x^2 + 5x + 6$$ is a monic quadratic trinomial because the coefficient of $x^2$ is 1. 6. In summary, monic quadratic trinomials are quadratic expressions with leading coefficient 1, making them easier to factor and work with in algebra.