3-2

3-2 Multiplying Polynomials

Warm Up
Lesson Presentation
Lesson Quiz

Holt
Holt McDougal
McDougal Algebra
Algebra 22
 3-2 Multiplying Polynomials

Warm Up
Multiply.
1. x(x3) x4 2. 3x2(x5) 3x7

3. 2(5x3) 10x3 4. x(6x2) 6x3

5. xy(7x2) 7x3y

6. 3y2(–3y) –9y3

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 3-2 Multiplying Polynomials

Objectives
Multiply polynomials.
Use binomial expansion to expand
binomial expressions that are raised to
positive integer powers.

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 3-2 Multiplying Polynomials

To multiply a polynomial by a monomial, use

the Distributive Property and the Properties
of Exponents.

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 3-2 Multiplying Polynomials
Example 1: Multiplying a Monomial and a Polynomial

Find each product.

A. 4y2(y2 + 3)
4y2(y2 + 3)
4y2  y2 + 4y2  3 Distribute.
4y4 + 12y2 Multiply.

B. fg(f4 + 2f3g – 3f2g2 + fg3)

fg(f4 + 2f3g – 3f2g2 + fg3)
fg  f4 + fg  2f3g – fg  3f2g2 + fg  fg3 Distribute.
f5g + 2f4g2 – 3f3g3 + f2g4 Multiply.
Holt McDougal Algebra 2
 3-2 Multiplying Polynomials
Check It Out! Example 1

Find each product.

a. 3cd2(4c2d – 6cd + 14cd2)
3cd2(4c2d – 6cd + 14cd2)
3cd2  4c2d – 3cd2  6cd + 3cd2  14cd2 Distribute.
12c3d3 – 18c2d3 + 42c2d4 Multiply.

b. x2y(6y3 + y2 – 28y + 30)

x2y(6y3 + y2 – 28y + 30)
x2y  6y3 + x2y  y2 – x2y  28y + x2y  30 Distribute.
6x2y4 + x2y3 – 28x2y2 + 30x2y Multiply.
Holt McDougal Algebra 2
 3-2 Multiplying Polynomials

To multiply any two polynomials, use the

Distributive Property and multiply each term in
the second polynomial by each term in the first.

Keep in mind that if one polynomial has m terms

and the other has n terms, then the product has
mn terms before it is simplified.

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 3-2 Multiplying Polynomials
Example 2A: Multiplying Polynomials

Find the product.

(a – 3)(2 – 5a + a2)
Method 1 Multiply horizontally.
(a – 3)(a2 – 5a + 2) Write polynomials in standard form.
Distribute a and then –3.
a(a2) + a(–5a) + a(2) – 3(a2) – 3(–5a) –3(2)

a3 – 5a2 + 2a – 3a2 + 15a – 6 Multiply. Add exponents.

a3 – 8a2 + 17a – 6 Combine like terms.

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 3-2 Multiplying Polynomials
Example 2A: Multiplying Polynomials

Find the product.

(a – 3)(2 – 5a + a2)
Method 2 Multiply vertically.
a2 – 5a + 2 Write each polynomial in
a–3 standard form.
– 3a2 + 15a – 6 Multiply (a2 – 5a + 2) by –3.
a3 – 5a2 + 2a Multiply (a2 – 5a + 2) by a, and
align like terms.
a3 – 8a2 + 17a – 6 Combine like terms.

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 3-2 Multiplying Polynomials
Example 2B: Multiplying Polynomials
Find the product.
(y2 – 7y + 5)(y2 – y – 3)
Multiply each term of one polynomial by each term of
the other. Use a table to organize the products.
y2 –y –3
The top left corner is the first
y y
2 4
–y 3
–3y 2
term in the product. Combine
terms along diagonals to get
–7y –7y3 7y2 21y
the middle terms. The bottom
right corner is the last term in
5 5y2 –5y –15
the product.

y4 + (–7y3 – y3 ) + (5y2 + 7y2 – 3y2) + (–5y + 21y) – 15

y4 – 8y3 + 9y2 + 16y – 15
Holt McDougal Algebra 2
 3-2 Multiplying Polynomials
Check It Out! Example 2a
Find the product.

(3b – 2c)(3b2 – bc – 2c2)

Multiply horizontally.
Write polynomials in standard form.
(3b – 2c)(3b2 – 2c2 – bc)
Distribute 3b and then –2c.
3b(3b2) + 3b(–2c2) + 3b(–bc) – 2c(3b2) – 2c(–2c2) – 2c(–bc)

9b3 – 6bc2 – 3b2c – 6b2c + 4c3 + 2bc2 Multiply.

Add exponents.
9b3 – 9b2c – 4bc2 + 4c3 Combine like terms.

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 3-2 Multiplying Polynomials
Check It Out! Example 2b
Find the product.
(x2 – 4x + 1)(x2 + 5x – 2)
Multiply each term of one polynomial by each term of
the other. Use a table to organize the products.
x2 –4x 1
The top left corner is the first
x x
2 4
–4x x3 2
term in the product. Combine
terms along diagonals to get
5x 5x3 –20x 5x 2
the middle terms. The bottom
right corner is the last term in
–2 –2x2 8x –2 the product.

x4 + (–4x3 + 5x3) + (–2x2 – 20x2 + x2) + (8x + 5x) – 2

x4 + x3 – 21x2 + 13x – 2
Holt McDougal Algebra 2
 3-2 Multiplying Polynomials
Example 3: Business Application
A standard Burly Box is p ft by 3p ft by 4p ft. A
large Burly Box has 1.5 ft added to each
dimension. Write a polynomial V(p) in standard
form that can be used to find the volume of a
large Burly Box.
The volume of a large Burly Box is the product of the
area of the base and height. V(p) = A(p)  h(p)
The area of the base of the large Burly Box is the
product of the length and width of the box.
A(p) = l(p)  w(p)
The length, width, and height of the large Burly Box
are greater than that of the standard Burly Box. l(p)
= p + 1.5, w(p) = 3p + 1.5, h(p) = 4p + 1.5
Holt McDougal Algebra 2
 3-2 Multiplying Polynomials
Example 3: Business Application

Solve A(p) = l(p)  w(p). Solve V(p) = A(p)  h(p).

p + 1.5 3p2 + 6p + 2.25

 3p + 1.5  4p + 1.5
1.5p + 2.25 4.5p2 + 9p + 3.375
3p2 + 4.5p 12p3 + 24p2 + 9p
3p2 + 6p + 2.25 12p3 + 28.5p2 + 18p + 3.375

The volume of a large Burly Box can be modeled by

V(p) = 12p3 + 28.5p2 + 18p + 3.375

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 3-2 Multiplying Polynomials
Check It Out! Example 3
Mr. Silva manages a manufacturing plant.
From 1990 through 2005 the number of
units produced (in thousands) can be
modeled by N(x) = 0.02x2 + 0.2x + 3. The
average cost per unit (in dollars) can be
modeled by C(x) = –0.004x2 – 0.1x + 3.
Write a polynomial T(x) that can be used to
model the total costs.
Total cost is the product of the number of units
and the cost per unit.

T(x) = N(x)  C(x)

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 3-2 Multiplying Polynomials
Check It Out! Example 3

Multiply the two polynomials.

0.02x2 + 0.2x + 3
 –0.004x2 – 0.1x + 3
0.06x2 + 0.6x + 9
–0.002x3 – 0.02x2 – 0.3x
–0.00008x4 – 0.0008x3 – 0.012x2
–0.00008x4 – 0.0028x3 + 0.028x2 + 0.3x + 9
Mr. Silva’s total manufacturing costs, in thousands of
dollars, can be modeled by
T(x) = –0.00008x4 – 0.0028x3 + 0.028x2 + 0.3x + 9
Holt McDougal Algebra 2
 3-2 Multiplying Polynomials
Example 4: Expanding a Power of a Binomial
Find the product.
(a + 2b)3
(a + 2b)(a + 2b)(a + 2b) Write in expanded form.
(a + 2b)(a2 + 4ab + 4b2) Multiply the last two
binomial factors.
Distribute a and then 2b.
a(a2) + a(4ab) + a(4b2) + 2b(a2) + 2b(4ab) + 2b(4b2)

a3 + 4a2b + 4ab2 + 2a2b + 8ab2 + 8b3 Multiply.

a3 + 6a2b + 12ab2 + 8b3 Combine like terms.

Holt McDougal Algebra 2
 3-2 Multiplying Polynomials
Check It Out! Example 4a
Find the product.
(x + 4)4
(x + 4)(x + 4)(x + 4)(x + 4) Write in expanded form.
(x + 4)(x + 4)(x2 + 8x + 16) Multiply the last two
binomial factors.
(x2 + 8x + 16)(x2 + 8x + 16) Multiply the first two
binomial factors.
Distribute x2 and then 8x and then 16.
x2(x2) + x2(8x) + x2(16) + 8x(x2) + 8x(8x) + 8x(16)
+ 16(x2) + 16(8x) + 16(16)
Multiply.
x4 + 8x3 + 16x2 + 8x3 + 64x2 + 128x + 16x2 + 128x + 256
x4 + 16x3 + 96x2 + 256x + 256 Combine like terms.
Holt McDougal Algebra 2
 3-2 Multiplying Polynomials
Check It Out! Example 4b
Find the product.
(2x – 1)3
(2x – 1)(2x – 1)(2x – 1) Write in expanded form.
(2x – 1)(4x2 – 4x + 1) Multiply the last two
binomial factors.
Distribute 2x and then –1.
2x(4x2) + 2x(–4x) + 2x(1) – 1(4x2) – 1(–4x) – 1(1)

8x3 – 8x2 + 2x – 4x2 + 4x – 1 Multiply.

8x3 – 12x2 + 6x – 1 Combine like terms.

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 3-2 Multiplying Polynomials
Notice the coefficients of the variables in the final
product of (a + b)3. these coefficients are the numbers
from the third row of Pascal's triangle.

Each row of Pascal’s triangle gives the coefficients of the

corresponding binomial expansion. The pattern in the table
can be extended to apply to the expansion of any binomial
of the form (a + b)n, where n is a whole number.
Holt McDougal Algebra 2
 3-2 Multiplying Polynomials

This information is formalized by the Binomial

Theorem, which you will study further in Chapter 11.

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 3-2 Multiplying Polynomials
Example 5: Using Pascal’s Triangle to Expand
Binomial Expressions
Expand each expression.
A. (k – 5)3

1331 Identify the coefficients for n = 3, or row 3.

[1(k)3(–5)0] + [3(k)2(–5)1] + [3(k)1(–5)2] + [1(k)0(–5)3]
k3 – 15k2 + 75k – 125

B. (6m – 8)3
1331 Identify the coefficients for n = 3, or row 3.
[1(6m)3(–8)0] + [3(6m)2(–8)1] + [3(6m)1(–8)2]
+ [1(6m)0(–8)3]
216m3 – 864m2 + 1152m – 512
Holt McDougal Algebra 2
 3-2 Multiplying Polynomials
Check It Out! Example 5
Expand each expression.
a. (x + 2)3
1331 Identify the coefficients for n = 3, or row 3.
[1(x)3(2)0] + [3(x)2(2)1] + [3(x)1(2)2] + [1(x)0(2)3]
x3 + 6x2 + 12x + 8
b. (x – 4)5
1 5 10 10 5 1 Identify the coefficients for n = 5, or row 5.
[1(x)5(–4)0] + [5(x)4(–4)1] + [10(x)3(–4)2] + [10(x)2(–4)3] +
[5(x)1(–4)4] + [1(x)0(–4)5]

x5 – 20x4 + 160x3 – 640x2 + 1280x – 1024

Holt McDougal Algebra 2
 3-2 Multiplying Polynomials
Check It Out! Example 5
Expand the expression.
c. (3x + 1)4
14641 Identify the coefficients for n = 4, or row 4.
[1(3x)4(1)0] + [4(3x)3(1)1] + [6(3x)2(1)2] + [4(3x)1(1)3]
+ [1(3x)0(1)4]

81x4 + 108x3 + 54x2 + 12x + 1

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 3-2 Multiplying Polynomials
Lesson Quiz
Find each product.

1. 5jk(k – 2j) 5jk2 – 10j2k 2. (2a3 – a + 3)(a2 + 3a – 5)

2a5 + 6a4 – 11a3 + 14a – 15
3. The number of items is modeled by
0.3x2 + 0.1x + 2, and the cost per item is
modeled by g(x) = –0.1x2 – 0.3x + 5. Write a
polynomial c(x) that can be used to model the
total cost. –0.03x4 – 0.1x3 + 1.27x2 – 0.1x + 10
4. Find the product.
(y – 5)4 y4 – 20y3 + 150y2 – 500y + 625
5. Expand the expression.
(3a – b)3 27a3 – 27a2b + 9ab2 – b3
Holt McDougal Algebra 2