ENGGMATH1: MATHEMATICS FOR ENGINEERS 1

FOUR FUNDAMENTAL OPERATIONS

on polynomials
ALGEBRA

A polynomial is an algebraic expression involving only non-negative integer powers

of one or more variables and containing no variable in the denominator.

example. 2𝑥, 5𝑥 2 − 8𝑥, 4𝑥 5 , − 6𝑥 3 + 3𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 + 1

When numbers and letters (standing for numbers) are combined by applying one or
more of the fundamental operations of algebra, the result is called an algebraic expression.
A term of a polynomial is a constant or a constant multiplied by non-negative integer
powers of variable. A term includes the sign preceding it.

numerical literal
coefficient
𝟖𝒙𝒚 coefficient
“constant” “variables”

Types of Polynomials:
1. Monomial – one term
2. Binomial – two terms
3. Trinomial – three terms

DEGREE OF A TERM – sum of the powers of the variables in a term

example. 3𝑥 2 𝑦 2 has a degree of 4

−2𝑥𝑦𝑧 has a degree of 3

5𝑥 has a degree of 1

DEGREE OF A POLYNOMIAL – highest degree in the polynomial

example. 7𝑥 2 − 4𝑥 + 2 is a 2nd degree polynomial

3𝑥 + 6 is a 1st degree polynomial

6𝑥 2 𝑦 2 − 4𝑥 3 is a 4th degree polynomial

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 ENGGMATH1: MATHEMATICS FOR ENGINEERS 2

basic operations in polynomials

I. ADDITION AND SUBTRACTION OF POLYNOMIALS

Law 1. The sum of two positive numbers is positive. The sum of two negative
numbers is negative.
Law 2. The sum of a positive number and a negative number is obtainable from the
absolute values of the numbers. Thus, subtract the smaller absolute value from the larger
absolute value and take the sign of the number with the larger absolute value.
In adding/subtracting polynomials, add or subtract similar terms together.
Add or subtract the constants and copy the common variable.

example. Add 8𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 and 2𝑥 2 − 4𝑥

(8𝑥 + 5𝑥) + (2𝑥 2 − 4𝑥)

= 8𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 − 4𝑥

= 𝟏𝟎𝒙𝟐 + 𝒙

Alternately, we can place the like terms in columns then perform the operation.

8𝑥 2 + 5𝑥
+ 2𝑥 2 − 4𝑥

𝟏𝟎𝒙𝟐 + 𝒙

example. Subtract 4𝑎3 − 8𝑎2 + 2𝑎 + 6 from 2𝑎3 + 𝑎2 + 4𝑎 − 3.

(2𝑎3 + 𝑎2 + 4𝑎 − 3) − (4𝑎3 − 8𝑎2 + 2𝑎 + 6)

= 2𝑎3 + 𝑎2 + 4𝑎 − 3 − 4𝑎3 + 8𝑎2 − 2𝑎 − 6

= 2𝑎3 − 4𝑎3 + 𝑎2 + 8𝑎2 + 4𝑎 − 2𝑎 − 9

= −𝟐𝒂𝟑 + 𝟗𝒂𝟐 + 𝟐𝒂 − 𝟗

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II. MULTIPLICATION OF POLYNOMIALS

example.
(−2)(−3) = 6
(−2)(−3)(4) = 24
(−2)(−3)(−4) = −24

The product of two polynomials is the sum of all results obtained by multiplying all
the terms of one polynomial by each term of the other.
example. (2𝑥 + 7)(3𝑥 − 4)

= 2𝑥(3𝑥 − 4) + 7(3𝑥 − 4)
= 6𝑥 2 − 8𝑥 + 21𝑥 − 28

= 𝟔𝒙𝟐 + 𝟏𝟑𝒙 − 𝟐𝟖

We can also find the product by arranging the work in columns

example. (𝑥 2 + 3𝑥 3 − 𝑥 − 2)(2𝑥 + 3)

3𝑥 3 + 𝑥 2 − 𝑥 − 2
2𝑥 + 3
6𝑥 + 2𝑥 − 2𝑥 2 − 4𝑥
4 3

9𝑥 3 + 3𝑥 2 − 3𝑥 − 6
𝟔𝒙𝟒 + 𝟏𝟏𝒙𝟑 + 𝟐𝒙𝟐 − 𝟕𝒙 − 𝟔

IV. DIVISION OF POLYNOMIALS

Law 4. The quotient of two numbers of like signs is positive. The quotient of two
numbers of unlike signs is negative.
Dividing a polynomial by a monomial:
To prepare the way for dividing a polynomial by a monomial, we need to
establish a law of exponents.
If 𝑚 and 𝑛 are positive integers and 𝑎 ≠ 0, then
𝑎𝑚
𝑎𝑛
= 𝑎𝑚−𝑛 if 𝑚 > 𝑛

=1 if 𝑚 = 𝑛
1
= 𝑎𝑛−𝑚 if 𝑚 < 𝑛

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4𝑎 2𝑏4 −8𝑎 2 𝑏−2𝑏2

example. −2𝑎𝑏3

4𝑎 2 𝑏4 −8𝑎 2 𝑏 −2𝑏2
= + +
−2𝑎𝑏3 −2𝑎𝑏3 −2𝑎𝑏3

𝟒𝒂 𝟏
= −𝟐𝒂𝒃 + 𝒃𝟐 + 𝒂𝒃

Dividing a polynomial by another polynomial:

If the remainder is 0, the division is exact and the result may be expressed as
𝐷𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑑
= 𝑞𝑢𝑜𝑡𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡
𝐷𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑠𝑜𝑟
If the remainder is not zero, we express the result as
𝐷𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝑟𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟
= 𝑞𝑢𝑜𝑡𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡 +
𝐷𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑠𝑜𝑟 𝑑𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑠𝑜𝑟

When dividing a polynomial by another polynomial, we can perform division two

ways:

example. (2𝑥 2 − 5𝑥 + 2) ÷ (𝑥 − 2)
a) LONG DIVISION
𝟐𝒙 − 𝟏
̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅̅
𝑥 − 2⌈2𝑥 2 − 5𝑥 + 2

− 2𝑥 2 − 4𝑥
−𝑥 + 2
− −𝑥+2
0

Therefore, (2𝑥 2 − 5𝑥 + 2) ÷ (𝑥 − 2) = 𝟐𝒙 − 𝟏

b) SYNTHETIC DIVISION
To divide synthetically:

• Solve the binomial divisor equal to zero.

• The dividend must be written with powers of the variable in descending
order. Don’t forget ZERO coefficients for missing degrees.
• If zero value (divisor) is a fraction, divide all coefficients by denominator.

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(2𝑥 2 − 5𝑥 + 2) ÷ (𝑥 − 2)
2⌋ 2 −5 2
Bring down first coefficient (or add to 0).

2⌋ 2 −5 2
4 Multiply the first sum to the divisor.
2 −1 Write the product under the next
coefficient and add.

2⌋ 2 −5 2
4 −2 Repeat the process.

2 −1 0

= 𝟐𝒙 + 𝟏

If 0 is the last number, the divisor is a factor of the dividend.

example. Divide (6𝑧 3 + 5𝑧 2 − 3𝑧 − 7) by (2𝑧 + 1).

a) Long Division

𝟑𝒛𝟐 + 𝒛 − 𝟐

2𝑧 + 1 ⌈6𝑧 3 + 5𝑧 2 − 3𝑧 − 7

− 6𝑧 3 + 3𝑧 2

0 + 2𝑧 2 − 3𝑧
− 2𝑧 2 + 𝑧

0 − 4𝑧 − 7
- − 4𝑧 − 2

−5 → remainder

𝟓
= 𝟑𝒛𝟐 + 𝒛 − 𝟏 −
𝟐𝒙+𝟏

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b) Synthetic Division
1
− ⌋ 6 5 −3 −7
2

−3 −1 2
6 2 −4 −5

𝑧2 𝑧 𝐶 𝑅
Divide all coefficients (except Remainder) by the denominator of the
divisor. Therefore, the quotient is
𝟓
= 𝟑𝒛𝟐 + 𝒛 − 𝟐 − 𝟐𝒙+𝟏

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