Standard form of a polynomial is when all of the terms are put in descending degree order. So 6^2+5x^4 would be written as 5x^4+6^2 since 4 is a higher degree than 2. Like terms are when two monomials either share the same degree or have the same variables. So 6x and 5x would be like terms
The standard for of a polynomial is when the exponent is in decreasing order (ex: 4x^2 + 6x - 2) Like terms are when, in addition or subtraction, the variables are the same (ex: 4x^3 +2x^4) You combine like terms to simplify the polynomial.
