Polynomials

Defining Polynomials
Basic Operations
 Polynomials
•Polynomials – series of terms joined together by adding or
subtracting
• 4x + 6x2, 20xy - 4, and 3a2 - 5a + 4 are all polynomials.

Term: a number or a product of a number and variables raised

to a power
Coefficient: the numerical factor of each term
Constant: the term without a variable.
 Specific Terms for
Polynomials
Monomial: 1 term (axn with n is a non-negative integers, a
is a real number)
Ex: 3x, -3, or 4xy2z

Binomial: 2 terms
Ex: 3x - 5, or 4xy2z + 3ab

Trinomial: 3 terms
Ex: 4x2 + 2x - 3

Ex: 3x2 + x – 3
3x2 + 1x1 – 3x0
3x2 + 1x – 3x,0 ,Therefore, it is still the same
 Polynomials
Example: 4x2 +3x-5

How many terms are there in example?

Answer: 3

Which are the coefficients in the example?

Answer: 4 and 3

Which is the constant?

Answer: 5
 Property of Terms and Polynomials
Degree –The degree of a polynomial is the highest degree of its terms monomial

For example: 5x4 = 4th Degree term

7a3 = 3rd Degree term
3x2 = 2nd Degree term
2b = 1st Degree term
9= 0 Degree term

Another example= 8x3y2

Add up the powers of each variables to get the

degree of the term, therefore, 5th degree

x3+3x4+5+x+4x2
3x4+x3+4x2+x+5
Degree of Polynomials
Example: -3x4 – 4x2 + x – 1
Which are the terms are there in example?
Answer: -3x4 ,– 4x2,x, – 1
Which are the degree in the example?
Answer: 4,2,1,0
Which are the coefficient?
Answer: -3,-4,1,-1
Which is degree of this polynomial?
Answer: 4
Which is the constant of this polynomial?
Answer: -1
 Basic
Operations
 Adding Polynomials
Add: (x2 + 3x + 1) + (4x2 +5)

Step 1: Underline like terms:

(x2 + 3x + 1) + (4x2 +5)

Notice: ‘3x’ doesn’t have a like term.

Step 2: Add the coefficients of like terms, do not change

the powers of the variables:
(x2 + 4x2) + 3x + (1 + 5)
5x2 + 3x + 6
 Adding Polynomials
Some people prefer to add polynomials by stacking them.
If you choose to do this, be sure to line up the like terms!
(x2 + 3x + 1)
(x2 + 3x + 1) + (4x2 +5) + (4x2 +5)
5x2 + 3x + 6

Stack and add these polynomials: (2a2+3ab+4b2) + (7a2+ab+-2b2)

(2a2 + 3ab + 4b2)
(2a2+3ab+4b2) + (7a2+ab+-2b2) + (7a2 + ab + -2b2)
9a2 + 4ab + 2b2
 Adding Polynomials
• Add the following polynomials; you may stack them if you
prefer:

1) 3x  7x  3x  4x   6x3  3x

3 3

2) 2w  w  5  4w  7w  1 6w  8w  4

2 2 2

3) 2a  3a  5a  a  4a  3 
3 2 3

3a  3a  9a  3
3 2
 Subtracting Polynomials
Subtract: (3x2 + 2x + 7) - (x2 + x + 4)

Step 1: Change subtraction to addition (Keep-Change-Change.).

(3x2 + 2x + 7) + (- x2 + - x + - 4)

Step 2: Underline OR line up the like terms and add.

(3x2 + 2x + 7)
+ (- x2 + - x + - 4)
2x2 + x + 3
 Subtracting Polynomials
• Subtract the following polynomials by changing to
addition (Keep-Change-Change.), then add:

1) x  x  4 3x  4x  1 2x  3x  5 2

2 2

2) 9y  3y  1 2y  y  9 7y  4y  10

2 2 2

3) 2g  g  9 g  3g  3  g  g  g  12

2 3 2 3 2
 Subtracting Polynomials
• Subtract the following polynomials by changing to
addition (Keep-Change-Change.), then add:

1) x  x  4 3x  4x  1 2x  3x  5 2

2 2

2) 9y  3y  1 2y  y  9 7y  4y  10

2 2 2

3) 2g  g  9 g  3g  3  g  g  g  12

2 3 2 3 2
 Multiplying Polynomials
There are three techniques you can
use for multiplying polynomials.
1)Distributive Property
2)FOIL
3)Box Method
 Multiplying Polynomials
Multiply. (2x + 3)(5x + 8)
Using the distributive property, multiply
2x(5x + 8) + 3(5x + 8).
10x2 + 16x + 15x + 24
Combine like terms.
10x2 + 31x + 24
A shortcut of the distributive property is called the
FOIL method.
 Multiplying Polynomials

• The FOIL method is ONLY used when you

multiply 2 binomials. It is an acronym and
tells you which terms to multiply.

2) Use the FOIL method to multiply the

following binomials:
(y + 3)(y + 7).
 Multiplying Polynomials

(y + 3)(y + 7).
F tells you to multiply the FIRST
terms of each binomial.

y2
 Multiplying Polynomials

(y + 3)(y + 7).
O tells you to multiply the OUTER
terms of each binomial.

y2 + 7y
 Multiplying Polynomials

(y + 3)(y + 7).
I tells you to multiply the INNER
terms of each binomial.

• y2 + 7y + 3y
 Multiplying Polynomials

(y + 3)(y + 7).
L tells you to multiply the LAST
terms of each binomial.
y2 + 7y + 3y + 21=
y2 + 10y + 21
 Multiplying Polynomials
The third method is the Box Method. This
method works for every problem!
Here’s how you do it.
Multiply (3x – 5)(5x + 2)
Draw a box. Write a 3x -5
polynomial on the top and
side of a box. It does not
matter which goes where.
This will be modeled in the
5x
next problem along with
FOIL. +2
 Multiplying Polynomials

3) Multiply (3x - 5)(5x + 2)

First terms: 15x2
3x -5
Outer terms: +6x
Inner terms: -25x
Last terms: -10
5x 15x2 -25x
Combine like terms.
15x2 - 19x – 10 +2 +6x -10
 Multiplying Polynomials

3) Multiply (3x - 5)(5x + 2)

First terms: 15x2
3x -5
Outer terms: +6x
Inner terms: -25x
Last terms: -10
5x 15x2 -25x
Combine like terms.
15x2 - 19x – 10 +2 +6x -10
 Multiplying Polynomials
4) Multiply (7p - 2)(3p - 4)
First terms: 21p2
Outer terms: -28p 7p -2
Inner terms: -6p
Last terms: +8 3p 21p2 -6p
Combine like terms.
21p2 – 34p + 8
-4 -28p +8
 Multiplying Polynomials
4) Multiply (7p - 2)(3p - 4)

First terms: 21p2

Outer terms: -28p
7p -2
Inner terms: -6p
Last terms: +8 3p 21p2 -6p
Combine like terms.
21p2 – 34p + 8
-4 -28p +8
 Dividing Polynomials

• The objective is to be able to divide a

polynomial by a monomial.

( 6x  3)  3x
2
 Dividing Polynomials
Step 1
( 6x  3)  3x
2

Divide each term of the polynomial by

the monomial.

2
6x 3

3x 3x
 Dividing Polynomials
Step 2
2
6x 3

3x 3x
• Factor each expression

2  3 x  x 3

3 x 3 x
 Dividing Polynomials
Step 3
2  3 x  x 3

3 x 3 x
Divide out the common factors in each expression.

2  3  x 
2  3 x  x x  3 3 The numbers

3  x  3  x
and variables
3 x 3 x which are
crossed out
divide out to 1.
 Dividing Polynomials
Step 4

2  3 x  x 3

3 x 3 x

1
2x 
x
 Dividing Polynomials

8x  3x  24x

3

8x 3
3x
Divide each term of the polynomial 
by the monomial. 24 x 24 x
8 x  x
2
3 x
Factor each expression. 
3 8  x 3 8  x
8  x  x2 3 x
Divide out the common factors in 
each expression. 3 8  x 3 8  x
2
x 1
Write in simplified form. 
3 8
 Dividing Polynomials

(12x  2x  3)  2x
2
12 x 2 2 x 3
Divide each term of the polynomial  
by the monomial. 2x 2x 2x
2 6 x  x 2 x 3
Factor each expression.  
2x 2  x 2x
Divide out the common factors in 2 6 x  x 2 x 3
 
each expression.
2x 2  x 2x
3
Write in simplified form. 6x  1 
2x