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College Algebra
Tutorial 6:
Polynomials

Learning Objectives

After completing this tutorial, you should be able to:

1. Identify a term, coefficient, constant term, and polynomial.

2. Tell the difference between a monomial, binomial, and trinomial.
3. Find the degree of a term and polynomial.
4. Combine like terms.
5. Add and subtract polynomials.
6. Multiply any polynomial times any other polynomial.
7. Use the FOIL method to multiply a binomial times a binomial.

8. Use special product rules to multiply a binomial squared and a product of

a sum and difference of two terms.

Introduction

In this tutorial we will be looking at the different components of polynomials.

Then we will move on to adding, subtracting and multiplying them. Some of
these concepts are based on ideas that were covered in earlier tutorials. A lot of
times in math you use previous knowledge to learn new concepts. The trick is to
not reinvent the wheel each time but recognize what you have done before and
draw on that knowledge to help you work through the problems.
 Tutorial

Let’s start with defining some words before we get to our polynomial.

Term

A term is a number, variable or the product of a number and variable(s).

Examples of terms are , z.

Coefficient

A coefficient is the numeric factor of your term.

Here are the coefficients of the terms listed above:

Term Coefficient
3
5
2
z 1

Constant Term
A constant term is a term that contains only a number. In other words, there
is no variable in a constant term.

Examples of constant terms are 4, 100, and -5.

Standard Form of a Polynomial

where n is a non-negative integer.

is called the leading coefficient.

is a constant.

In other words, a polynomial is a finite sum of terms where the exponents on

the variables are non-negative integers. Note that the terms are separated by
+’s and -‘s.

An example of a polynomial expression is .

Degree of a Term

The degree of a term is the sum of the exponents on the variables contained
in the term.

For example, the degree of the term would be 1 + 1 = 2. The exponent on

a is 1 and on b is 1 and the sum of the exponents is 2.

The degree of the term would be 3 since the only variable exponent that we
have is 3.
 Degree of the Polynomial

The degree of the polynomial is the largest degree of all its terms.

Descending Order

Note that the standard form of a polynomial that is shown above is written in
descending order. This means that the term that has the highest degree is
written first, the term with the next highest degree is written next, and so
forth.

Also note that a polynomial can be “missing” terms. For example, the
polynomial written above starts with a degree of 5, but notice there is not a term
that has an exponent of 4. That means the coefficient on it is 0, so we do not
write it.

Some Types of Polynomials

Type Definition Example

Monomial A polynomial with one term 5x
Binomial A polynomial with two terms 5x - 10
Trinomial A polynomial with three terms

Example 1: Find the degree of the polynomial and indicate whether

the polynomial is a monomial, binomial, trinomial, or none of
these: .

Since the degree of the polynomial is the highest degree of all the
terms, it looks like the degree is 3.
 Since there are three terms, this is a trinomial.

Example 2: Find the degree of the polynomial and indicate whether

the polynomial is a monomial, binomial, trinomial, or none of these: .

Since the degree of the polynomial is the highest degree of all the
terms, it looks like the degree is 3.

Make sure that you don’t fall into the trap of thinking it is always
the degree of the first term. This polynomial is not written in
standard form (descending order). So we had to actually go to the
second term to get the highest degree.

Since there are two terms, this is a binomial.

Example 3: Find the degree of the polynomial and indicate whether

the polynomial is a monomial, binomial, trinomial, or none of these: -20.

Since the degree of the polynomial is the highest degree of all the
terms, it looks like the degree is 0.

Since there is one term, this is a monomial.

Combining Like Terms

Recall that like terms are terms that have the exact same variables raised to
the exact same exponents. One example of like terms is . Another
example is .

You can only combine terms that are like terms. You can think of it as the
reverse of the distributive property.

It is like counting apples and oranges. You just count up how many variables
you have the same and write the number in front of the common variable
part.

Adding and Subtracting Polynomials

Step 1: Remove the ( ) .

If there is only a + sign in front of ( ), then the terms inside of ( )

remain the same when you remove the ( ).

If there is a - in front of the ( ), then distribute it by multiplying every

term in the ( ) by a -1 (or you can think of it as negating every term in
the ( )).

Step 2: Combine like terms.

Example 4: Perform the indicated operation and

simplify: .

*Remove the ( )
*Add like terms together
 Example 5: Perform the indicated operation and
simplify: .

*Dist. the - through

second ( )
*Combine like
terms

Multiplying Polynomials

In general, when multiplying two polynomials together, use the distributive

property until every term of one polynomial is multiplied times every term
of the other polynomial. Make sure that you simplify your answer by
combining any like terms.

On this page we will look at some of the more common types of polynomials to
illustrate this idea.

(Monomial)(Monomial)

In this case, there is only one term in each polynomial. You simply multiply
the two terms together.

Example 6: Find the product .

*Mult. like bases add exp.

 (Monomial)(Polynomial)

In this case, there is only one term in one polynomial and more than one
term in the other. You need to distribute the monomial to EVERY term of
the other polynomial.

Example 7: Find the product .

*Dist. -5b
*Mult. like bases add exp.

(Binomial)(Binomial)

In this case, both polynomials have two terms. You need to distribute both
terms of one polynomial times both terms of the other polynomial.

One way to keep track of your distributive property is to

Use the FOIL method. Note that this method only works on (Binomial)
(Binomial).

F First terms
O Outside terms
I Inside terms
L Last terms
This is a fancy way of saying to take every term of the first binomial times
every term of the second binomial. In other words, do the distributive
property for every term in the first binomial.

Example 8: Find the product .

*Use the FOIL

method

*Combine like terms

Binomial Squared

Special product rule for

a binomial squared:
In other words, when you have a binomial squared, you end up with the
first term squared plus (or minus) twice the product of the two terms plus
the last term squared.

Any time you have a binomial squared you can use this shortcut method to find
your product.

This is a special products rule. It would be perfectly ok to use the foil method
on this to find the product. The reason we are showing you this form is that
when you get to factoring, you will have to reverse your steps. So when you
see , you will already be familiar with the product it came from.

Example 9: Find the product .

Product of the sum and difference

of two terms

This is another special products rule. It would be perfectly ok to use the foil
method on this to find the product. The reason we are showing you this form is
that when you get to factoring, you will have to reverse your steps. So when
you see a difference of two squares, you will already be familiar with the
product it came from.
 Example 10: Find the product .

(Polynomial)(Polynomial)

As mentioned above, use the distributive property until every term of one
polynomial is multiplied by every term of the other polynomial. Make sure
that you simplify your answer by combining any like terms.

Example 11: Find the product .

*Use Dist. Prop.

twice

*Combine like
terms

Special product rule for

binomial cubed:
In other words, when you have a binomial cubed, you end up with the first
term cubed plus (or minus) three times the first term squared times the
second term plus three times the first term times the second term squared
plus (or minus) the last term cubed.

Any time you have a binomial cubed you can use this shortcut method to find
your product.

Example 12: Find the product .

Practice Problems

These are practice problems to help bring you to the next level. It will allow
you to check and see if you have an understanding of these types of problems.
Math works just like anything else, if you want to get good at it, then you
need to practice it. Even the best athletes and musicians had help along the
way and lots of practice, practice, practice, to get good at their sport or
instrument. In fact there is no such thing as too much practice.

To get the most out of these, you should work the problem out on your own
and then check your answer by clicking on the link for the
answer/discussion for that problem. At the link you will find the answer as
well as any steps that went into finding that answer.

Practice Problems 1a - 1c:

Find the degree of the polynomial and

 indicate whether the polynomial is a
monomial, binomial, trinomial, or none of
these.

1a. -10 1b. 1c.

(answer/discussion to 1a) (answer/discussion to 1b) (answer/discussion to 1c)

Practice Problems 2a - 2e:

Perform the indicated operation.

2a.
(answer/discussion to 2a)

2b.
(answer/discussion to 2b)

2c.
(answer/discussion to 2c)

2d.
(answer/discussion to 2d)

2e.
(answer/discussion to 2e)

Need Extra Help on These Topics?

The following are webpages that can assist you in the topics that were
covered on this page:

http://www.wtamu.edu/academic/anns/mps/math/mathlab/int_algebra
/
int_alg_tut25_poly.htm
This webpage goes over the basic terminology of polynomials as well as
how to add and subtract them.

http://www.purplemath.com/modules/polydefs.htm
This webpage helps you with the different parts of a polynomial.

http://www.math.com/school/subject2/lessons/S2U2L4DP.html
This webpage goes over the concept of like terms.

http://www.purplemath.com/modules/polyadd.htm
This webpage helps you with adding and subtracting polynomials.

http://www.wtamu.edu/academic/anns/mps/math/mathlab/int_algebra
/
int_alg_tut26_multpoly.htm
This webpage goes over multiplying polynomials.

http://www.algebrahelp.com/lessons/simplifying/distribution/
This website helps with the distributive property.

http://www.algebrahelp.com/lessons/simplifying/foilmethod/
This website helps with the FOIL method and (polynomial)(polynomial).

http://www.purplemath.com/modules/polymult.htm
This webpage helps with multiplying polynomials.

Go to Get Help Outside the Classroom found in Tutorial 1: How to Succeed

in a Math Class for some more suggestions.

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All contents copyright (C) 2002, WTAMU and Kim Peppard. All rights reserved.
Last revised on June 22, 2003 by Kim Peppard.