CHAPTER I

POLYNOMIALS

OBJECTIVES:

1. Recall the fundamental operations for signed numbers;

2. Apply the basic rules and concept on rational expressions; and

3. Understand the basic operations polynomials.

KEY/CONCEPTS:

ALGEBRA is a branch of mathematics that uses mathematical statements to

describe relationships between things that vary. These variables include things like
the relationship between supply of an object and its price.
When we use a mathematical statement to describe a relationship, we often use
letters to represent the quantity that varies, since it is not a fixed amount.
It is the use of letters and symbols to represent values and their relations, especially
for solving equations.
The combination of each letters and symbols are called “Algebraic Expressions”.

The Real Number System

 SET
A set is a collection of unique objects such as set of positive numbers, a set of
drawing, etc.
Each of the unique objects making up a set is called an ELEMENT of that set.
A set is a given a name, usually an uppercase letter, while their elements by
lower-case letter.
There are two ways of writing sets: the roster form and the set-builder form.
To indicate that an object is an element of a set, the symbol “ϵ”, read as is the
element, is used. Thus , if a is an element of set A, we indicate this by writing “a ϵ
A”, read as “a is an element of the set A”.
Examples:
 Set of positive numbers
 Set of counting numbers less than ten
 Set of vowels in the English Alphabet
Examples:
A. Write each set described below in roster form
 1. Set A consist of the vowels of the English Alphabet..
2. Set B consist of the founding members of the ASEAN.
3. Set C consist of numbers less than 10.
B. Write each set listed below I set-builder form
1. D = { 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15,…….}
2. E = { +, -, x, ÷ }
3. F = { millimetre, centimetre, meter, kilometre }

 Types of Numbers

The following diagram shows the types of numbers that form the set of real numbers

Irrational Numbers Rational Numbers

Integers

Whole Numbers

Natural
Numbers

The natural numbers are the numbers used for counting. It is a prime number if it is
greater than 1 and its only factors are 1 and itself. It is a composite number if it is
greater than 1 and it is not prime.
The whole numbers are the natural numbers and zero.
The integers are all the whole numbers and their additive inverse. No fractions or
decimals
- an integer is even if it can be written in the form 2ⴄ, where ⴄ is an integer (if 2
is a factor).
- an integer is odd if it can be written in the form 2ⴄ - 1, where ⴄ is an integer(if
2 is not a factor).
The rational numbers are the numbers that can be written as the ratio of two integers.
All rational numbers when written in their equivalent decimal form will have terminating
or repeating decimals.
The irrational numbers are any real numbers that can not be represented as a ratio of
two integers. The numbers usually are imperfect roots. Pi is also an irrational number.
Irrational numbers when written in their equivalent decimal form have non-terminating
and non-repeating decimals. The square root of a prime number is irrational.
A real number is either a rational or an irrational number. A real number is positive if it
is greater than zero, negative if it is less than zero.
 0
Undefined numbers are numbers in the form
k
.

OPERATION OF SIGNED NUMBERS

Rules in Adding Integers

1. In adding integers with the same sign, add their absolute values then affix to the
sum the common sign.

Example:
a. 27 + 41 = 68
b. – 39 + (- 56) = -95
2. In adding integers with different signs, subtract their absolute values then affix to
the difference the sign of the added having the greater absolute value.
Example:
a. -65 + 87 = 22
b. 79 + (-90) = -11

Rules in Subtracting Integers

In subtracting an integer from another integer, change the sign of the subtrahend
and perform the rules for addition.
Examples: Give the difference.
a. 43 -17 = 26
b. – 6 – 18 = -24
c. 14 – (- 8) = 22
d. – 34 – (- 43) = 9

Rules in Multiplying Integers

Multiplying like signs is positive and unlike sign is negative
Examples: Give the product.
a. (4) (5) = 20
b. (7) (- 3) = -21
c. (- 14) ( 8 ) = - 112
d. (- 11) (-10) = 110
e. (-11) (7) (- 4) = 308

Rules in Dividing Integers

Dividing like sign is positive and unlike sign is negative
Examples: Give the quotient of each.
a. 128 ÷ 16 = 8
b. (-51) ÷ (-3) = 17
 c. (-57) ÷ 19 = -3
d. 252 ÷ (-21) = - 12

ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSIONS:
An expression is a meaningful collection of numbers, variables and signs
(positive or negative) of operations that must make mathematical and logical
sense.
Example of an algebraic expression is 8x² where 8 is called the constant or
numerical coefficient, x is the variable or literal coefficient and 2 exponent or
power

THE LAWS OF EXPONENT

The EXPONENT tells the number of times the base is to be used as a factor.

Base → 3²← exponent

The Product of Powers:

If a, m and n are real numbers, a m. a n = a m+n

Example: Find the product of the following.

1. 37 . 38 = 37 +8 = 315
2. x 5. x 2 . x 4 = x 5+2+ 4 = x 11
3. ( a+ b )4 ( a+ b ) ²=(a+ b)⁶

The Power of a Powers:

If a, m, and n are real numbers, (aᵐ)ⁿ = aᵐⁿ

Example: Simplify the following expressions.

1. ( 5⁴)² = 54 (2) = 58
2. (x⁷)⁹ = x 63
3. (y⁵)⁴ = y 5 (4 ) = y 20

Power of a Product:
If a, m, and n are real numbers, (ab)ᵐ = aᵐbᵐ
Example: Simplify the following.
1. ( xy )4 = x 4 y 4

2. (3 a)2 = 32 a ² = 9 a 2

3. (u ¿ ¿ 2 v 3 )⁴=u8 v 12 ¿
 4. ¿ ¿) ¿ ¿)¿2 = (2 x 2)2 (3 y ⁴ ¿ ¿ 2 = 4 x 4 9 y 8

Quotient of Powers:
If a ≠ 0 and a, m, and n are real numbers,

aᵐ
= a m−n, if m>n ;
aⁿ

1
= n−m , if m˂n
a

= a 0 = 1 , if m = n

Example: Simplify the following.

x12
1. 7 = x 12−7 =¿ x 5
x

33 1 1 1
2. 7 = 7−3 = 4 = 81
3 3 3

( y +3)5 1
3. = ( y +3)5−6 = ( y +3)−1=¿ ( y +3)
( y +3)6

4. (5 x)0 = 1

5. 8 x 0 = 8

Power of a Quotient:
If a, b, and m are real numbers and b ≠ 0,
m
a a
[ ]ᵐ = m
b b
Examples:

3x
2
(3 x ²)3 27 x6
1. (
2y
)³ = (2 y)3
= 8 y3

−2 (−2)3 −8
2. ( 5 ) ᶟ = 5
3 = 125
 2
3a²b (3 a b)² 9a⁴ b²
3. (
4 z3
)² = 3
(4 z ) ²
= 16 z ⁶

POLYNOMIALS

Polynomial is a special type of algebraic expression that contains a

specific number of terms each of which is of the form axⁿ or bxᵐyⁿ where a and b
are real numbers, and m and n are whole numbers.

Examples:
1. 2x
5x
2. +y
4
3. x² + 3x – 1
4. √ 2 x⁴ + 3xᶟy - x²y² - xyᶟ +y⁴

The following are algebraic expressions but are not polynomials:

1. 3x ̄ ² + 4
2. 5ˣ
3. √ 7 xᶟ
4
4. x
5. 3x² y 1 /2

 No variables in the denominator

 No variables under radical sign
 No variables as an exponent
 No negative exponent
 No fractional exponent

A polynomial with one term is called a monomial, a polynomial with two terms is
called a binomial, and a three terms is a trinomial.

-7xᶟ ; 5x -4y ; x² -8x + 12

Addition and Subtraction of Polynomials

 - Only similar terms can be added or subtracted

Examples: Simplify by combining similar terms.

a. 9x + 2y -5x + 3 – 8y = 4x -6y +3

b. 3x² - 4x – 8 - x² + 4x – 11 = 2x² - 19

c. 3b – 2a – (7b + 4) + (2a – 7) = 3b – 2a – 7b – 4 +2a – 7 = - 4b – 11

d. Add 2x² + 6x – 1 ; - xᶟ + 5x² - x ; 6 – 4xᶟ + x⁴

Solution:

2x² + 6x – 1
Add - xᶟ + 5x² - x
x⁴ - 4xᶟ +6
x⁴ - 5xᶟ + 7x² + 5x + 5

e. Subtract 8x² + 7x – 9 from - 3xᶟ - 2x² + 4

- 3xᶟ - 2x² +4
̅ 8x² + 7x – 9 (change the signs then add)
-3xᶟ - 10x² - 7x +13

Multiplication of Polynomials

- Product of a monomial by another monomial, get the product of the numerical

coefficient following the rule of signs for multiplication, and for its literal factors
follow the exponential law of multiplication. [(aⁿ)(aᵐ)] = a n+m ]

Example: (3a²y)(-5ay²) = - 15aᶟyᶟ

(-7mn)(-n²)(-5m²) = - 35mᶟnᶟ

- For product of a monomial to a polynomial apply the distributive law.

Example: (2ab²)(3a² - 4ab + b²) = 6aᶟb² - 8a²bᶟ + 2ab⁴

(-4x²yz)(2xy² - 3xyz + 4yz²) = - 8xᶟyᶟz + 12xᶟy² - 16x²y²zᶟ

- Multiplication of a polynomial to another polynomial is actually a series of

multiplication of a polynomial by a monomial. For, convenience, arrange the
terms in the descending or ascending power of one letter.
 Example: Multiply 2x² - 3x + 5 by 3x – 2

Solution 1:
(3x – 2)( 2x² - 3x + 5) = 6xᶟ - 9x² + 15x – 4x² + 6x – 10
= 6xᶟ - 13x² + 21x – 10

Solution 2:

2x² - 3x + 5
3x – 2_____
6xᶟ - 9x² + 15x
-4x² + 6x – 10_
6xᶟ - 13x² + 21x – 10

Division of Polynomials:
1. Quotient of monomial to another monomial – is a monomial with a
numerical coefficient equal to the quotient of the numerical coeff. and
literal coeff. equal to the quotient of the coeff., observing the rule of
an
signs for division and the exponential laws for division ( m ) = a ; a
n−m
a
≠ 0.
Rule: the quotient of two powers with the same base is equal to the same base
with an exponent equal to the difference of their exponents.

4 x ÷2x
3
Example:

3
4x
= = 3 −1
2x = 2x²
2x

2. Quotient of a polynomial with another polynomial :

Steps:
a. Arrange both the dividend and the divisor in decreasing power of one
letter.
b. Divide the first term of the dividend by the first term of the divisor; the
result thus obtained will be referred to as the partial quotient.
c. Multiply the partial quotient obtained in (b) by all the terms of the
divisor and subtract the result from the dividend. The remainder is the
new dividend.
d. Repeat (b) and (c) until the new dividend (remainder) is either zero or
of a degree lower than the first term of the divisor.
e. The complete quotient consist of the partial quotients plus the
remainder indicated as a ratio of the divisor.

Example 1: Divide 3x + xᶟ - 3x² + 1 by x -1

__x² - 2x + 1______
X –1 ǀ xᶟ - 3x² + 3x + 1
̅ xᶟ - x²
- 2x² + 3x + 1
̅ - 2x² + 2x
X+1
̅ X – 1__
2

Answer: x² - 2x + 1 + 2___
X–1

Example 2: Divide xᶟ - yᶟ by x – y

_x² - xy + y²___
X – y ǀ xᶟ + 0 + 0 - yᶟ
- xᶟ - x²y
_ x²y
x²y - xy²
xy² - yᶟ
xy² - yᶟ
0

Answer: x² - xy + y²
Activity:

I. Combine like terms:

1. 7ax – 16ay + 5ax – 2ax + 11 ay –ay

2. (-12m²n) + ( 16 m²n) - ( 5 m²n)

3. 4(a -2b) + 3(a -2b) – (a – 2b)

4. (7xy) + (-7xy) – (5xy)

II. Add the following polynomials:

1. a²y – 3ay + 5y² ; 6ay - y² + 2a²y ; 7a²y - y² - 5ay ; and -10a²y
– 2y²

2. 5e – 2f – 3g + 3h ; 3f – g + e ; 4h – 2f + 5g ; and
2e – 2h + g

3. 25m² - 3mn – 5n² ; 3m² - 5mn - n² ; 6mn - n² + m² ;

3m² - n² ; and 2mn – 27m²

III. Subtract the following:

1. Subtract (3x – 8y + 5z) from 7x – 4y – 3z

2. Subtract ( 5x² - 6x + 4) from the sum of (-3x² + 3x + 1) and (2x² -

5x +7)
IV. Multiply the following:
1. (-8a)(-3b)(-5c)(-abc)
2. (-4mᶟn)(3mᶟn² - 5m²n +9m)

3. (3xᶟ - 2x²y – 7xy² - 5yᶟ)(3x – 4y)

V. Divide the following:

1. (12xᶟy⁶ + 36x⁴y⁶) ÷ ( 6xᶟy⁶)

2. 6xᶟ - 11x² - 26x + 10 by 3x + 5

3. 4aᶟ - 7a² -45 ÷ a – 3