5.

1A Polynomials: Basics

A. Definition of a Polynomial

A polynomial is a combination of terms containing numbers and variables raised to positive

(or zero) whole number powers.

Examples of Polynomials

✁ ✂ ✄ ☎ ✆ ✝✁ ✄ ✞ ✟ ✠✁ ✡ ✄ ✆ ☛

✝✁ ✡ ✟ ☞✁ ✂ ✆ ✌

NOT polynomials

☞✁ ✎✍ ✟ ✝
(power is a fraction)

✝✁ ✏ ✑ ✆ ☞✁ ☎
(power is negative)

B. Terminology

1. Degree

a. Term Degree: sum of powers in a term

✁✂✄☎
the degree is ✒

✁✄✡✓ ✝
the degree is

✝
the degree is ✔

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 b. Polynomial Degree: maximum (not total) term degree

✁ ✂ ✄ ☎ ✆ ✝✁ ✄ ✞ ✟ ✠✁ ✡ ✄ ✆ ☛
the degree is ✒

✝✁ ✡ ✟ ☞✁ ✂ ✆ ✌ ✠
the degree is

2. Descending Order

We often write polynomials in order from the highest term degree to the the lowest.

✝✁ ✡ ✟ ☞✁ ✂ ✆ ✌ ☞✁ ✂ ✟ ✝✁ ✡ ✆ ✌
For instance, we rewrite as

C. Adding/Subtracting Polynomials

We combine like terms as before.

Beware: minus signs and parentheses

☛✁ ✡ ✆ ✝✁ ✆ ✁ ✟ ✁✡ ✟ ✝✁
1. Find

✂✁ ✡ ✆ ✝✁ ✟ ✄

✠✁ ☎ ✟ ✁ ✆ ☞ ✁ ✆ ☛✁ ✡ ✆ ✝✁ ✟ ☞ ✁
2. Find

✠✁ ☎ ✟ ✁ ✆ ☞ ✆ ☛✁ ✡ ✟ ✝✁ ✆ ☞ ☎ ✠✁ ☎ ✆ ☛✁ ✡ ✟ ✌✁ ✆ ✝

2
D. Multiplying Polynomials By Monomials

A monomial is a one-term polynomial. Use the distributive property.

☛✁ ☎ ✄ ☞✁ ✄ ✆ ✌✁ ✟ ✄ ✡ ✁
Find ✒

✄ ☞✁ ✞ ✄ ✡ ✆ ✝ ☞✁ ✞ ✄ ✟ ✝ ✁ ☎ ✄ ☎
✒

E. Multiplying Binomials

A binomial is a two-term polynomial.

Method 1: Distributive Property

☛✁ ✆ ✝ ✄ ✁ ✁ ✡ ✟ ✄✁ ☛✁ ✆ ✝ ✄ ✁
If the problem is to expand , we distribute the to the
two terms of the second binomial:

☛✁ ✆ ✝ ✄ ✁ ✁ ✡ ✟ ✄✁ ☎ ☛✁ ✆ ✝ ✄ ✁ ✁ ✡ ✟ ☛✁ ✆ ✝ ✄ ✁ ✄

☛✁ ☎ ✆ ✝✁ ✡ ✄ ✟ ✄ ✁ ✄ ✆ ✄ ☞✄ ✡
Now use the distributive property again to get ✒

A shortcut to the above method is called FOIL

Method 2: FOIL

FOIL is an acronym for “First-Outer-Inner-Last”

Consider the following example:

3
 ✠✁ ✟ ☞✄ ✁ ☛✁ ✆ ✄ ✁
Find using FOIL

✠✁ ✁ ☛✁ ✁ ☎ ✁✡
First: ✔

✠✁ ✁ ✆✄ ✁ ☎ ✆ ✠✁ ✄
Outer:

☞✄ ✁ ☛✁ ✁ ☎ ✄ ☞✁ ✄
Inner:

☞✄ ✁ ✆ ✄ ✁ ☎ ✆ ☞✄ ✡
Last:

✁ ✡ ✆ ✠✁ ✄ ✟ ✄ ☞✁ ✄ ✆ ☞✄ ✡ ☎ ✁ ✡ ✟ ✌✁ ✄ ✆ ☞✄ ✡
Thus we get ✔ ✔

F. Multiplying Polynomials of Any Size

Method 1: Distributive Property

✁ ✡ ✆ ✝✁ ✟ ✝ ✁ ✁ ✡ ✟ ☞✁ ✆ ✁
If the problem is to expand , we distribute the
✁ ✡ ✆ ✝✁ ✟ ✝ ✁
to the terms of the second polynomial:

✁ ✡ ✆ ✝✁ ✟ ✝ ✁ ✁ ✡ ✟ ☞✁ ✆ ✁

☎ ✁ ✡ ✆ ✝✁ ✟ ✝ ✁ ✁ ✡ ✟ ✁ ✡ ✆ ✝✁ ✟ ✝ ✁ ☞✁ ✟ ✁ ✡ ✆ ✝✁ ✟ ✝ ✁ ✆ ✁

Now use the distributive property again

✁ ✞ ✆ ✝✁ ☎ ✟ ✝✁ ✡ ✟ ☛✁ ☎ ✆ ✁ ✡ ✟ ✁ ✆ ✂ ✁ ✡ ✟ ✄ ☞✁ ✆ ✄☞
✒ ✒

✁ ✞ ✟ ☞✁ ☎ ✆ ✄ ✁ ✡ ✟ ☞ ✁ ✆ ✄☞
Thus, after combining like terms, we get ✔

A shortcut to the above method is called the factor table

Method 2: Factor Table

You make a “tic-tac-toe” grid, and fill in the boxes with the products.

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 ☞✁ ✡ ✄ ✆ ✝ ✄ ✡ ✟ ✁ ✡ ✁ ✁✄ ✟ ✁✄✡ ✆ ✝✁
Consider

Make factor table:

☞✁ ✡ ✄ ✆✝ ✄ ✡ ✁✡

✁✄

✟✁✄✡

✆✝

Then fill in the table with the products:

☞✁ ✡ ✄ ✆✝ ✄ ✡ ✟✁✡

✁✄ ✟ ☛✁ ☎ ✄ ✡ ✆ ✄ ☞✁ ✄ ☎ ✟ ✁☎✄

✟✁✄✡ ✟ ☞✁ ☎ ✄ ☎ ✆✝✁ ✄ ✞ ✟✁☎✄✡

✆✝ ✆ ✁✡✄ ✟ ✄ ☛✄ ✡ ✆ ✝✁ ✡
✒

Collecting like terms:

✌✁ ☎ ✄ ✡ ✆ ✄ ☞✁ ✄ ☎ ✟ ✁ ☎ ✄ ✟ ☞✁ ☎ ✄ ☎ ✆ ✝✁ ✄ ✞ ✆ ✁ ✡ ✄ ✟ ✄ ☛✄ ✡ ✆ ✝✁ ✡
✒

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Name: ________________________

Practice Test Polinomials

Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.

What is the degree of each monomial?

____ 1. 7m6n5
a. 5 b. 11 c. 6 d. 7
____ 2. 3x8y4
a. 3 b. 8 c. 12 d. 4

Write the polynomial in standard form. Then name the polynomial based on its degree and number of
terms.

____ 3. 2 – 11x2 – 8x + 6x2

a. –5x2 – 8x + 2; quadratic trinomial
b. –5x2 – 8x; quadratic binomial
c. –6x2 – 8x – 2; cubic polynomial
d. 6x2 – 8x + 2; cubic trinomial

Simplify the difference.

____ 4. (–7x – 5x4 + 5) – (–7x4 – 5 – 9x)

a. 2x4 + 2x + 8 c. –14x4 – 10x + 10
b. –14x4 + 10x + 10 d. 2x4 + 2x + 10

Simplify the product.

____ 5. 2n(n2 + 3n + 4)
a. 2n3 + 6n2 + 8n c. 2n3 + 6n + 8
b. 2n3 + 3n + 4 d. n2 + 5n + 4

Factor the polynomial.

____ 6. 54c3d4 + 9c4d2

a. 9c3d2(d2 + 6c) c. 9c4d2(d2 + 6)
b. 9c3d2(6d2 + c) d. 9c4d2(6d2 + 1)

Simplify the product using the distributive property.

____ 7. (5h − 3)(3h + 7)

a. 15h 2 − 44h + 21 c. 15h 2 + 44h + 21

b. 15h 2 − 26h − 21 d. 15h 2 + 26h − 21

1
Name: ________________________

Simplify the product using a table.

____ 8. (5h + 4)(3h + 6)

3h 6
5h
4

a. 15h 2 + 42h + 24 c. 15h 2 + 18h − 24

b. 15h 2 − 42h + 24 d. 15h 2 − 18h − 24

Simplify the product using FOIL.

____ 9. (3x – 7)(3x – 5)

a. 9x2 + 6x + 35 c. 9x2 – 36x – 35
b. 9x2 + 36x + 35 d. 9x2 – 36x + 35

What is a simpler form of each product?

____ 10. (2x – 6)2

a. 4x2 – 24x + 36 c. 4x2 + 36
b. 4x2 – 8x + 36 d. 4x2 – 12x + 36

What is the factored form of the following expressions?

____ 11. d2 – 12d + 32

a. (d – 4)(d – 8) c. (d + 4)(d – 8)
b. (d – 4)(d + 8) d. (d + 4)(d + 8)
____ 12. w2 + 18w + 77
a. (w – 7)(w + 11) c. (w + 7)(w + 11)
b. (w – 7)(w – 11) d. (w + 1)(w + 77)
____ 13. d 2 + 18d + 81
a. (d + 9)(d − 9) c. (d − 81)(d − 1)
b. (d + 9) 2 d. (d − 9) 2
____ 14. d 2 − 22d + 121
a. (d + 11) 2 c. (d − 11)(d + 11)
b. (d − 11) 2
d. (d − 121)(d − 1)

What is the factored form of the expression?

____ 15. r2 – 49
a. (r – 7)(r + 7) c. (r – 7)(r – 7)
b. (r + 7)(r + 7) d. (r – 7)(r + 9)

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Practice Test
Polynomials
Answer Section

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: L3

REF: 8-1 Adding and Subtracting Polynomials
TOP: 8-1 Problem 1 Finding the Degree of a Monomial KEY: monomial | degree of a monomial
2. ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: L3
REF: 8-1 Adding and Subtracting Polynomials
TOP: 8-1 Problem 1 Finding the Degree of a Monomial KEY: monomial | degree of a monomial
3. ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: L3
REF: 8-1 Adding and Subtracting Polynomials
TOP: 8-1 Problem 3 Classifying Polynomials
KEY: monomial | degree of a monomial | polynomial | degree of a polynomial | standard form of a
polynomial | trinomial
4. ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: L3
REF: 8-1 Adding and Subtracting Polynomials
TOP: 8-1 Problem 5 Subtracting Polynomials
KEY: polynomial | standard form of a polynomial | trinomial
5. ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: L3 REF: 8-2 Multiplying and Factoring
TOP: 8-2 Problem 1 Multiplying a Monomial and a Trinomial KEY: polynomial | trinomial | monomial
6. ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: L4 REF: 8-2 Multiplying and Factoring
TOP: 8-2 Problem 3 Factoring Out a Monomial
7. ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: L3 REF: 8-3 Multiplying Binomials
TOP: 8-3 Problem 1 Using the Distributive Property KEY: multiplying binomials
8. ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: L3 REF: 8-3 Multiplying Binomials
TOP: 8-3 Problem 2 Using a Table KEY: multiplying binomials
9. ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: L3 REF: 8-3 Multiplying Binomials
TOP: 8-3 Problem 3 Using FOIL KEY: multiplying binomials
10. ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: L2 REF: 8-4 Multiplying Special Cases
TOP: 8-4 Problem 1 Squaring a Binomial
11. ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: L3 REF: 8-5 Factoring x^2 + bx + c
TOP: 8-5 Problem 2 Factoring x^2 + bx + c Where b < 0, c > 0
12. ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: L3 REF: 8-5 Factoring x^2 + bx + c
TOP: 8-5 Problem 1 Factoring x^2 + bx + c Where b > 0, c > 0
13. ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: L3 REF: 8-7 Factoring Special Cases
TOP: 8-7 Problem 1 Factoring a Perfect-Square Trinomial KEY: perfect-square trinomial
14. ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: L4 REF: 8-7 Factoring Special Cases
TOP: 8-7 Problem 1 Factoring a Perfect-Square Trinomial KEY: perfect-square trinomial
15. ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: L2 REF: 8-7 Factoring Special Cases
TOP: 8-7 Problem 3 Factoring a Difference of Two Squares KEY: difference of two squares

1
Name: ________________________

Chapter 8 Pre-Test

Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.

What is the factored form of the following expressions?

____ 1. d2 – 9d + 14
a. (d – 2)(d + 7) c. (d – 2)(d – 7)
b. (d + 2)(d + 7) d. (d + 2)(d – 7)
____ 2. w2 + 18w + 77
a. (w + 1)(w + 77) c. (w – 7)(w + 11)
b. (w + 7)(w + 11) d. (w – 7)(w – 11)

Simplify the difference.

____ 3. (–7x – 5x4 + 5) – (–7x4 – 5 – 9x)

a. 2x4 + 2x + 10 c. –14x4 + 10x + 10
b. –14x4 – 10x + 10 d. 2x4 + 2x + 8

Simplify the product using a table.

____ 4. (4h + 5)(4h + 4)

4h 4
4h
5

a. 16h 2 + 36h + 20 c. 16h 2 + 4h − 20

b. 16h 2 − 36h + 20 d. 16h 2 − 4h − 20

Simplify the product using FOIL.

____ 5. (3x – 7)(3x – 5)

a. 9x2 + 36x + 35 c. 9x2 + 6x + 35
b. 9x2 – 36x – 35 d. 9x2 – 36x + 35

Write the polynomial in standard form. Then name the polynomial based on its degree and number of
terms.

____ 6. 2 – 11x2 – 8x + 6x2

a. –6x2 – 8x – 2; cubic polynomial
b. –5x2 – 8x; quadratic binomial
c. 6x2 – 8x + 2; cubic trinomial
d. –5x2 – 8x + 2; quadratic trinomial

1
Name: ________________________

____ 7. d 2 − 18d + 81
a. (d + 9) 2 c. (d − 9)(d + 9)
b. (d − 81)(d − 1) d. (d − 9) 2

Factor the polynomial.

____ 8. 54c3d4 + 9c4d2

a. 9c4d2(d2 + 6) c. 9c4d2(6d2 + 1)
b. 9c3d2(d2 + 6c) d. 9c3d2(6d2 + c)

Simplify the product using the distributive property.

____ 9. (2h − 6)(4h + 5)

a. 8h 2 + 14h − 30 c. 8h 2 − 14h − 30
b. 8h 2 − 34h + 30 d. 8h 2 + 34h + 30
____ 10. d 2 − 38d + 361
a. (d − 19) 2 c. (d + 19) 2
b. (d − 361)(d − 1) d. (d − 19)(d + 19)

Simplify the product.

____ 11. 2n(n2 + 3n + 4)

a. 2n3 + 6n + 8 c. 2n3 + 6n2 + 8n
b. 2n3 + 3n + 4 d. n2 + 5n + 4

What is the degree of each monomial?

____ 12. 4x5y3

a. 5 b. 3 c. 8 d. 4
____ 13. 7m6n5
a. 5 b. 11 c. 6 d. 7

What is a simpler form of each product?

____ 14. (2x – 6)2

a. 4x2 – 12x + 36 c. 4x2 + 36
b. 4x2 – 8x + 36 d. 4x2 – 24x + 36

What is the factored form of the expression?

____ 15. r2 – 49
a. (r – 7)(r + 7) c. (r – 7)(r + 9)
b. (r – 7)(r – 7) d. (r + 7)(r + 7)

2
Chapter 8 Pre-Test
Answer Section

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: L3 REF: 8-5 Factoring x^2 + bx + c

TOP: 8-5 Problem 2 Factoring x^2 + bx + c Where b < 0, c > 0
2. ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: L3 REF: 8-5 Factoring x^2 + bx + c
TOP: 8-5 Problem 1 Factoring x^2 + bx + c Where b > 0, c > 0
3. ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: L3
REF: 8-1 Adding and Subtracting Polynomials
TOP: 8-1 Problem 5 Subtracting Polynomials
KEY: polynomial | standard form of a polynomial | trinomial
4. ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: L3 REF: 8-3 Multiplying Binomials
TOP: 8-3 Problem 2 Using a Table KEY: multiplying binomials
5. ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: L3 REF: 8-3 Multiplying Binomials
TOP: 8-3 Problem 3 Using FOIL KEY: multiplying binomials
6. ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: L3
REF: 8-1 Adding and Subtracting Polynomials
TOP: 8-1 Problem 3 Classifying Polynomials
KEY: monomial | degree of a monomial | polynomial | degree of a polynomial | standard form of a
polynomial | trinomial
7. ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: L3 REF: 8-7 Factoring Special Cases
TOP: 8-7 Problem 1 Factoring a Perfect-Square Trinomial KEY: perfect-square trinomial
8. ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: L4 REF: 8-2 Multiplying and Factoring
TOP: 8-2 Problem 3 Factoring Out a Monomial
9. ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: L3 REF: 8-3 Multiplying Binomials
TOP: 8-3 Problem 1 Using the Distributive Property KEY: multiplying binomials
10. ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: L4 REF: 8-7 Factoring Special Cases
TOP: 8-7 Problem 1 Factoring a Perfect-Square Trinomial KEY: perfect-square trinomial
11. ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: L3 REF: 8-2 Multiplying and Factoring
TOP: 8-2 Problem 1 Multiplying a Monomial and a Trinomial KEY: polynomial | trinomial | monomial
12. ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: L3
REF: 8-1 Adding and Subtracting Polynomials
TOP: 8-1 Problem 1 Finding the Degree of a Monomial KEY: monomial | degree of a monomial
13. ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: L3
REF: 8-1 Adding and Subtracting Polynomials
TOP: 8-1 Problem 1 Finding the Degree of a Monomial KEY: monomial | degree of a monomial
14. ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: L2 REF: 8-4 Multiplying Special Cases
TOP: 8-4 Problem 1 Squaring a Binomial
15. ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: L2 REF: 8-7 Factoring Special Cases
TOP: 8-7 Problem 3 Factoring a Difference of Two Squares KEY: difference of two squares