Alternative Format — Lesson 1: An Introduction to

Polynomials
Let's Start Thinking
Introduction
Let's talk about algebraic expressions. This is the first lesson in a unit on manipulating algebraic
expressions.

Source: Two Students Chalkboard - 123foto/iStock/Getty Images

In this unit, we will manipulate algebraic expressions, specifically, polynomials. Eventually we will be
able to add, subtract, and multiply polynomials. But before we can do that, we need the basics:

What is a polynomial?

What is a variable?

What is the degree of a polynomial?

You may have heard of the terms polynomial and binomial, but how are they different?

Let's take a closer look at these foundations of algebraic expressions.

 Review the concept of a variable.

Lesson Examine polynomials and classify an expression as monomial, binomial,

Goals or trinomial based on the number of terms.

State the degree of a polynomial.

Try This
Which of the expressions shown below are polynomials? What is the degree of each polynomial?

a. 12x 4
− 10x
3
+ 4x
2
− 5x + 1

b. 7r 2
− 4r + 8r
−2
+ 7

c. 11m
2
+ πm

d. 8v

e. 7h
4
+ 5h
0.25
− 9

Variables

What Is a Variable?

Definition
A variable is a letter that represents an unknown quantity or number.

We can choose almost any letter to represent an unknown, but there are certain letters that we try
to avoid. Can you think of a letter or two that could be problematic if chosen as a variable?
Depending on your handwriting,

O could look too much like 0 ,

S could be mistaken as a 5 , and

 t could look like an addition sign +.

Despite this, t is often used to represent time. A letter that you may not have encountered yet and
thought to avoid is e.

 Historical Fact
The letter e is a famous irrational number and is known as Euler's
number. The first few digits are 2.71828... .

Where Did Variables Come From?

Colours
Back in the 7 th century, yes, algebra is that old — it is thought that different colors were used to
represent unknown values in algebraic equations.

Source: Coloured Ink Splash - Jamakosy/iStock/Getty Images

Source: Coloured Ink Splash - Jamakosy/iStock/Getty Images

 Source: Coloured Ink Splash - Jamakosy/iStock/Getty Images

Speculation is that colors were eventually replaced with symbols, which were then replaced with
letters from both the Latin and the Greek alphabet.

Symbols

Source: Greek Alphabet - sudanmas/iStock/Getty Images

Letters

Source: Sketched Shapes - GLYPHstock/iStock/Getty Images

Could you imagine simplifying an expression or solving an equation for red or circle rather than x?
The steps would be the same, but our math wouldn't look as neat as it does when we use letters for
variables.
 Variables and Coefficients
A variable can be found

on its own raised to any exponents, or

with a coefficient (numerical value) in front.

The operation between the coefficient and the variable is multiplication.

Examples of variables and coefficients:
4m and −8g 2

In this example, 4 is the coefficient and m is the variable. And in the second expression, −8 is the
coefficient and g is the variable being raised to the exponent 2 . We may call g the variable part.
2

Definition of a Term

Definition
A term is a single number, or variable, or the product of several numbers or variables.

In an expression, addition and subtraction signs signify the beginning of the next term​​.
For example, the expression 2x 2
+ 3xy − 5 has three terms:

First term: 2x 2

Second term: +3xy

Third term: −5

Check Your Understanding 1

Question — Version 1
Identify the variable and the coefficient of the term −6x . 4

Answer — Version 1
The variable is x. The coefficient is −6.
Feedback — Version 1
The variable is the letter representing the unknown quantity, in this case, x . Note that case matters.
The letters x and X represent two different variables.
The coefficient is the numerical value which is being multiplied by the variable, in this case, −6.

Question — Version 2
Identify the variable and the coefficient of the term v .
9

Answer — Version 2
The variable is v . The coefficient is 1 .
Feedback — Version 2
The variable is the letter representing the unknown quantity, in this case, v . Note that case matters.
The letters v and V represent two different variables.
The coefficient is the numerical value which is being multiplied by the variable, in this case, 1 .

Is π a Variable
We know that
π = 3.14159...

Since π is not unknown, it is not a variable.

 Recall
A variable is a letter that represents an unknown quantity.

Variables in Familiar Area Formulas

Some variables are so frequently used that you may not have even realized that you were using
variables.
A = lw

For the area of a rectangle:

A represents the area.

 l represents the length.

w represents the width.

Rectangle:

1
A = bh
2

For the area of a triangle:

A represents the area.

b is the length of the base.

h represents the height.

Triangle:

2
A = πr

For the area of a circle:

A represents the area.

r represents the radius

Circle:
Remember that π is not a variable. These letters are commonly used to represent unknown values
in familiar formulas.

Polynomials
Earlier in this lesson, we defined a term as a single number or variable or the product of several
numbers or variables. We can take this definition and use it to start to define polynomials. The
building blocks of polynomials are monomials.

Definition
A monomial is a single term. When written using a single variable (such as x), it can
be written as cx , where c is a real number and n is a non-negative integer.
n

Examples of a monomial are 5x and −4ab.

3

Definition
A binomial is the sum or difference of two monomials.

Examples of a binomial are q + 3, 2w 2

− 7w
5
, and a + b .

Definition
A trinomial is the sum or difference of three monomials.

Examples of a trinomial are 6d

3
+ 6 − d
9
, 2v 2
+ v − 3 , and a
2
+ 5ab − 2b
2
.
 Definition
A polynomial is composed of the sum or difference of one or more monomials.

Examples of polynomials are 4r

3
+ 7r
2
− r − 9 and 2
x y − 2xy
2
+ 5xy + 2x − 8y + 7 .

Important Fact
Monomials, binomials, and trinomials are types of polynomials and are classified by
the number of terms that they contain.

The Constant Term

In a term cx , if n
n
= 0 , we have
n 0
cx = cx

= c × 1

= c

In the case where n = 0 c, is referred to as the constant term, a numerical term with no variable
part.

Definition
The constant term is a numerical term with no variable part.

Example 1
Determine whether or not each of the following is a polynomial. Justify your answer.

a. 5n 4
+ 3n
2
− 1

b. −3x 2
+ x
−1
+ 14x − 20

c. 3m

d. 8k − 3k 7

e. 4√−
−
x + 7x

f. 8c − 3(7 c
) + 5
 g. x + 5y − 2

Solution
a. 5n 4
+ 3n
2
− 1 is a polynomial composed of the monomials 5n , 3n and −1. Each term has
4 2

a non-negative integer exponent (think of the constant term −1 as −1n ). 0

b. −3x 2
+ x
−1
+ 14x − 20 is NOT a polynomial. There are four terms (including a constant
term of −20), but −1
x has a negative exponent.

c. 3m is a polynomial composed of the monomial 3m, which has a non-negative integer

exponent.

d. 8k − 3k is a polynomial composed of the monomials 8k and −3k , both of which have non-
7 7

negative integer exponents.

e. 4√−
x + 7x is NOT a polynomial. There are two terms, but
− −−
4√ x does not have an integer
1

exponent. You may recall that √−

−
x = x 2 .

f. 8c − 3(7 c
) + 5 is NOT a polynomial. There are three terms (including a constant term of
5 ), but 7 has a variable exponent.
c

g. x + 5y − 2 is a polynomial composed of the monomials x, 5y and −2, all of which have non-
negative integer exponents.

Check Your Understanding 2

Question
Are the following expressions polynomials?

a. 5m 5
− 3m
2
+ 1

–
b. √3x − 9
−−
c. √3x − 9

d. 13

e. 2h 8
− 5h
−2
+ h − 1
 f. 7r + 3π

g. 4x 8
− 3x
2
+ z
3
− 6z

Answer

a. Yes

b. Yes

c. No

d. Yes

e. No

f. Yes

g. Yes

Feedback
A polynomial is the sum or difference of one or more monomials, all of which have non-negative
integer exponents.
−− −−
The expression √3x − 9 contains the monomial √3x which can also be written as
1 1 1

(3x) 2 = 3 2 x 2 . Notice that the exponent on the variable is not an integer.

The expression 2h 8
− 5h
−2
+ h − 1 contains the monomial −5h
−2
. Notice that the exponent on
the variable is an integer, but it is negative.

Example 2
Classify each as a monomial, binomial, or trinomial.

a. 4p 8
+ 5p
2
− 7

b. 4g + 2

c. 7b 5

d. 2d 3
− π
Solution
a. 4p 8
+ 5p
2
− 7 is a trinomial, as it has three terms.

b. 4g + 2 is a binomial, as it has two terms.

c. 7b is a monomial, as it has one term.

5

d. 2d 3
− π is a binomial, as it has two terms.

Check Your Understanding 3

Question
Are the following polynomials monomials, binomials, or trinomials?

a. 3x 4
− x
2

b. 8g 4
− 9g
2
+ 3g

c. r + 7r 2
− 3r
4

d. 19

e. 10m 8

f. 5n − 3n 5

g. 2

3
z
2
+ 9z
10
− 5z
7

h. 5x

i. 5h − 3

Answer

a. Binomial

b. Trinomial

c. Trinomial

d. Monomial

e. Monomial
 f. Binomial

g. Trinomial

h. Monomial

i. Binomial

Feedback
Monomials are polynomials with one term.
Binomials are polynomials with two terms.
Trinomials are polynomials with three terms.
Interactive Version
Monomials, Binomials, and Trinomials (https://ggbm.at/jz67gqab)

Degree of a Polynomial

Degree of a Monomial

Definition
The degree of a monomial having a single variable is the value of the exponent of
the variable.

Consider the monomial 6j , what is the degree?

4

Solution
j has an exponent of 4 . Therefore, the degree is 4 .

We will mostly be looking at the degree of monomials written in one variable. We could state the
degree of something like −5x 3
y
2
.

Definition
 The degree of a monomial having a single variable is the value of the exponent of
the variable.

What about the monomial −5x 3

y
2
? What is the degree?

Important Fact
If our monomial has more than one variable, the degree is the sum of all the
exponents on the variables.

Solution
The degree of the monomial is 3 + 2 = 5 .

Degree of a Polynomial
 Recall
A polynomial is composed of the sum or difference of one or
more monomials.

I often think of the terms of a polynomial as being separated by a plus or a minus sign. Let's start by
looking at polynomials that are all written in the same variable.
We have another important definition that we will need to know.

Definition
The degree of a polynomial is the highest degree of its monomials with non-zero
coefficients.

Example 3
State the degree of the polynomial 8x 2
− 2x
4 3
+ x − 12x .
Solution
Begin by looking at the degree of each monomial. Look at the terms that are separated by a plus or
minus sign and you can determine that this polynomial is made up of four monomials. Now that we
know that there are four monomials, let's look at the degree of each.

8x
2
has degree 2 .

−2x
4
has degree 4 .

x
3
has degree 3 .

−12x has degree 1 .

Since the degree is the highest degree of its monomials with non-zero coefficients, the degree of the
polynomial 8x 2
− 2x
4
+ x
3
− 12x is 4 .

Example 4
State the degree of the polynomial 4x 10
− 9x
18
+ 14 .

Solution
We can see that this polynomial has three terms. At this point, we may be able to see the degree of
the polynomial right away. If not, examine each monomial individually.
Begin by looking at the degree of each term.

4x
10
has degree 10.

−9x
18
has degree 18.

14 has degree 0 (because 14 = 14x

0
).

Therefore, the degree of the polynomial 4x 10

− 9x
18
+ 14 is 18.

Check Your Understanding 4

Question
State the degrees of the following polynomials.

a. 6x 9
+ 7x
8
+ 2x
2
 b. −4x 8
− 6x
6
− 10x
12

c. −x 15
− 4x
9
+ 7x

d. 50x 18
+ 45x
32

e. 8x 5
+ 7

Answer

a. 9

b. 12

c. 15

d. 32

e. 5

Feedback
The degree of a polynomial is the highest degree of its terms with non-zero coefficients.

Try This Revisited

Which of the expressions shown below are polynomials? What is the degree of each polynomial?

a. 12x 4
− 10x
3
+ 4x
2
− 5x + 1

b. 7r 2
− 4r + 8r
−2
+ 7

c. 11m 2
+ πm

d. 8v

e. 7h 4
+ 5h
0.25
− 9

Solution
Begin by looking at each expression on its own.

a. 12x 4
− 10x
3
+ 4x
2
− 5x + 1
 Expression a) is a polynomial. Each exponent is a non-negative integer.

The first term 12x has the highest exponent, so the degree of the polynomial is 4 .
4

b. 7r 2
− 4r + 8r
−2
+ 7

Expression b) is NOT a polynomial. The third term has an exponent that is a negative
integer.

c. 11m 2
+ πm

Expression c) is a polynomial. Each exponent is a non-negative integer and remember

that π is not a variable!

The first term 11m has the highest exponent, so the degree of the polynomial is 2 .
2

d. 8v
Expression d) is a polynomial. Although there is just one term, the exponent is a non-
negative integer.

The exponent with v in 8v is 1 , so the degree of the polynomial is 1 .

e. 7h 4
+ 5h
0.25
− 9

Expression e) is NOT a polynomial. The second term has an exponent that is not an
integer.

Lesson Summary
In this lesson, we reviewed:

Variable — A variable is a letter that represents an unknown quantity or number.

For example, a or n.

and introduced the following:

Term — A term is a single number or variable or the product of several numbers or

variables.
For example, −8g or 14ab . 2
 Types of Polynomials
A monomial is a single term. When written using a single variable (such as x), it
can be written as cx , where c is a real number and n is a non-negative integer.
n

Examples of monomials are 2m and 2 2

3
yz .

A binomial is the sum or difference of two monomials.

Examples of binomials are h 2
+ 3h and 10b − 3c.

A trinomial is the sum or difference of three monomials.

Examples of trinomials are 3f + 3f
4
− f
2
and x 2
− 3xy + 7y
2
.

A polynomial is composed of the sum or difference of one or more monomials.

Examples of polynomials are 18 − 8k 2
− 6k
4
+ 12k
6 8
+ 16k and
2
w z + 4wz
2
− wz + 3 .

A constant term is a numerical term with no variable part.

Degree of a term — The degree of a monomial having a single variable is the value of
the exponent of the variable.

Degree of a Polynomial — The degree of a polynomial is the highest degree of its

monomials with non-zero coefficients. For example, the polynomial 6x 7 4
− x − x has
degree 7 .

Take It With You

Simplify the following polynomial:
3 2 3 2 3 2
(3m + 2mg − m g − m ) − (mg − 5m g − 8m ) + (4m g + 12mg)
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