IM3+ Unit 1: Polynomials

Lesson 1: Introduction to Polynomials

2 or more
terms
(Adapted from EngageNY Algebra 2 Module 1 Topic A Lessons 1-2)
2 243 3 333
Today’s Learning Targets. I can …
1. recognize polynomials
2. write polynomial expressions for sequences by investigating successive
differences
3. add, subtract, and multiply polynomials

Introduction
The use of polynomials is extensive in the real world.
• Almost all manmade objects you see, from mobile phones to aircrafts, are designed on a
computer. A computer represents most of the 3D curves and surfaces of these objects
using polynomials.
• Businesses use polynomials to model growth rates and predict monthly revenue.
• Economists use polynomials to model cost functions and to predict stock market prices.
• Any kind of simulation involves manipulation of polynomials. A computer game engine,
a flight simulator, or a code for testing aircraft performance are all based on solving
polynomial equations.
• Engineers make calculations using polynomials. For example, aerospace engineers may
use polynomials to determine acceleration of a rocket or jet, and mechanical engineers
use polynomials to research and design engines and machines.
• Physical and social scientists need polynomials in their jobs. Key scientific formulas
(such as relationships between force, mass, and acceleration) feature polynomials.
Astronomers use polynomials to help in finding new stars and planets and calculating
their distance from Earth, their temperature and other features.

Monomial
_____________________________ are the building blocks of polynomials (also commonly referred to as

terms
____________). A monomial cannot have a variable in the denominator.

!" #

Are part of math

Description Facts

A monomial, or the sum of used in Airplanes

at least two monomials.
connected
Terms are by tf
Constant is a polynomialof
degregggisdegree ofpolynomials
Polynomial in one variable tell us thetype of
Polynomial
Airplane simulator
Roget
6 Fx 6x
2 n t it n e
0 Goi
f n 15 SG tant
fee
Examples
O Non-examples
Terminology

monomial
degree of a ________________________ – the exponent of the variable.
degree of a ________________________ – the highest of the degrees of its monomials.
polynomial
________________
Constant polynomial – a degree zero polynomial.
Zero
___________ polynomial – a constant polynomial with a coefficient of zero, however, strictly
speaking the degree is undefined.

Standard
____________________ form – from left to right the terms are ordered from highest to lowest degree.
____________________ term – the first term of a polynomial written in standard form (also the
leading
highest degree term).

leading 136 5
____________________ coefficient – the coefficient of the leading term.
2 8
8
3min 78
Example 1: Complete the following table.

Standard
4" − 7" ' + 8

4 52
(" + + 3)(5 − ")

23 15 32
8
(2" + 1)1 (3 − ")2

Do t
form 7 4248
3 52 3945 Solve
Degree of the power Rule
T
polynomial

Leading
coefficient
7 I 8
Successive Differences in Polynomials
Let the sequence {!4 , !6 , !+ , !1 , … } be generated by evaluating a polynomial expression at the
values 0, 1, 2, 3, … The numbers found by evaluating !6 − !4 , !+ − !6 , !1 − !+ , … form a new
sequence, which we will call the first differences of the polynomial. The differences between
successive terms of the first differences sequence are called the second differences, and so on.

Example 2: Complete the following table to find the sequence of first differences for the linear
polynomial given by !" + ;, where ! and ; are constant coefficients.

< => + ? First Differences

0
b
a
1
atb
a
2
Satb
3
3atb 9
4
49th a
What is the sequence of second differences for !" + ;?
 Example 3: Find the first, second, and third differences of the polynomial !" + + ;" + @ by filling
in the blanks in the following table.

< =<A + ?< + B First Differences Second Differences Third Differences

0 @

Atb
1 !+;+@ 29 o
2 4! + 2; + @ sat
29
y
3 9! + 3; + @ Satb 0
za
4 16! + 4; + @ Fath O
5 25! + 5; + @ Gats za
Make a conjecture about the third and fourth differences of a sequence generated by a third
degree polynomial.

F
Example 4: Find the second, third, and fourth differences of the polynomial !" 1 + ;" + + @" + E
by filling in the blanks in the following table.
< =<F + ?<A + B< + G First Differences Second Differences Third Differences Fourth Differences
0 E
!+;+@

y
1 !+;+@+E
7! + 3; + @
Gatsby 0
2 8! + 4; + 2@ + E
19! + 5; + @ 12at 2b day
3 27! + 9; + 3@ + E
180 26
Ga
O
37! + 7; + @
4 64! + 16; + 4@ + E
61! + 9; + @ 249 26 Ga
5 125! + 25; + 5@ + E

Make a conjecture about the Hth differences of any sequence generated by an Hth degree
polynomial, for example, the 4th differences of a fourth-degree polynomial.

The nth difference of any sequence

nth degree polynomial
the
with leading
by a constant
co efficient a with be
have has a van of
It
 When collecting bivariate data on an event or experiment, the data does not announce, “I satisfy
a quadratic relationship,” or “I satisfy an exponential relationship.” There need to be ways to
recognize these relationships in order to model them with functions. You now have a way to
recognize a quadratic or cubic relationship, and next you will practice how to write an equation
to describe that relationship.
Example 5: What type of relationship does the set of ordered pairs (", I) satisfy? How do you
know? Fill in the blanks in the table below to help you decide. (The first differences have
already been computed for you.)
< J First Differences Second Differences Third Differences
0 2

−1

f
1 1

5
76
7 12
2 6

76
17

3 23
is
4 58
35

6 Ee
59 24
5 117

Find the equation of the form I = !" 1 + ;" + + @" + E that all ordered pairs (", I) above satisfy.
ifference

Leading a x by CUTE
Co efficient Ye
6 x3tb n'tenth
A 3 Y
10
313 2
9826
Check that the pairs (3, 23) and (4, 58) satisfy your equation. ht 2
 Ise equation
systems of
11,1 and 12,6

1 133 54 I 2

I I btc 2

btc 2

6 2 b 2 2 2

6 8 46 20 2

4 Hb 2C

2 2b C

btc z b o
2b 2
I C 2
The Multiplication of Polynomials
Quite possibly you use the mnemonic FOIL to help with the multiplication of two binomials.
However, it doesn’t help when you are multiplying polynomials with more than two terms. For
this you need a more general method using the distributive property.

Example 6: Multiply (" + + 3" + 1)(" + − 5" + 2) and combine like terms.

Table method Using the distributive property

(similar to the area model)

x2 5a 2

t
x 2
3
12 2 1 2

Example 7: Find the products of each of these expressions.

(" − 1)(" + 1)

II
(" − 1)(" + + " + 1)
(" − 1)(" 1 + " + + " + 1)

i x 1
x x t i

X 1 General
term

Can you write an identity to generalize this pattern?

Homework
1. Show that the set of ordered pairs (", I) in the table below satisfies a quadratic relationship.
(Hint: Find second differences.) Find the equation of the form I = !" + + ;" + @ that all of
the ordered pairs satisfy.
" 0 1 2 3 4 5
I 5 4 −1 −10 −23 −40
2. Show that the set of ordered pairs (", I) in the table below satisfies a cubic relationship.
(Hint: Find third differences.) Find the equation of the form I = !" 1 + ;" + + @" + E that
all of the ordered pairs satisfy.
" 0 1 2 3 4 5
I 20 4 0 20 76 180
3. The distance E ft. required to stop a car traveling at 10O mph under dry asphalt conditions is
given by the following table.
O 0 1 2 3 4 5
E 0 5 19.5 43.5 77 120
a. What type of relationship is indicated by the set of ordered pairs?
b. Assuming that the relationship continues to hold, find the distance required to stop the
car when the speed reaches 60 mph, when O = 6.
c. Extension: Find an equation that describes the relationship between the speed of the
car O and its stopping distance E.
4. Multiply and combine like terms to write as the sum or difference of monomials.
a. " 1 (" + 6) + 9 b. 2+1 (2S' − 2S6 )
c. 8I6444 (I6++44 + 0.125I) d. (T − 1)(T + 1)(T + + 1)
e. (U 1 − 2U + 1)(U + − U + 2) f. (V − 1)(V 2 + V ' + V 1 + V + + V + 1)
5. Polynomial expressions can be thought of as a generalization of place value.
a. Multiply 214 × 112 using the standard paper-and-pencil algorithm.
b. Multiply (2" + + " + 4)(" + + " + 2) using the tabular method and combine like terms.
c. Substitute " = 10 into your answer from part (b).
d. Is the answer to part (c) equal to the answer from part (a)? Compare the digits you
computed in the algorithm to the coefficients of the entries you computed in the table.
How do the place-value units of the digits compare to the powers of the variables in the
entries?
6. Jeremy says (" − 9)(" X + " Y + " 2 + " ' + " 1 + " + + " + 1) must equal " X + " Y + " 2 + " ' +
" 1 + " + + " + 1 because when " = 10, multiplying by " − 9 is the same as multiplying by 1.
a. Multiply (" − 9)(" X + " Y + " 2 + " ' + " 1 + " + + " + 1).
b. Substitute " = 10 into your answer.
c. Is the answer to part (b) the same as the value of " X + " Y + " 2 + " ' + " 1 + " + + " +
1 when " = 10?
d. Was Jeremy right?