In the expression for volume, V(x) = -x³ - x² + 6x, what does the term -x³ indicate?

The term -x³ in the expression for volume, V(x) = -x³ - x² + 6x, indicates that this expression represents a cubic function. A cubic function is defined by the presence of a variable raised to the third power, which in this case is the -x³ term.

Cubic functions have distinct characteristics, such as their ability to model behaviors that can increase or decrease depending on the value of x, and their general shape is typically represented in a three-dimensional graph, which includes curves and turns. This term also implies that as x increases beyond a certain point, the value of V(x) will start to decrease, which is a common feature of cubic functions where the leading coefficient is negative.

Regarding the other options, they do not accurately describe the significance of the -x³ term in this context. The -x³ term alone does not provide information on whether the shape is a rectangular prism or whether dimensions are positive, nor does it indicate that volume increases with x. Understanding this term's role helps clarify that it emphasizes the nature of the function as cubic.