Polynomials

A polynomial is the addition or subtraction of monomials. If we only have two monomials, we call it binomial and, if we have three, we call it trinomial.

The degree of a polynomial is the biggest degree of its monomials.

Examples:

3x + y is a binomial of degree 1

x² – 3x + 2 is a trinomial of degree 2

a + 3b – 5ab + 8abc is a polynomial of degree 3

 

 

Exercise: classify these polynomials and indicate its degree:

a) x⁷ - 3x² + 15

b) a⁷b² + a¹¹b

c) x²y³z⁵ + x³y²z³ - xyz¹² - x¹²yz²

 

 

Solutions: a) Trinomial of degree 7; b) Binomial of degree 12; c) Polynomial of degree 15