• Vocabulary

In the polynomials unit, we learned about different words that helped us a lot. The first one is a constant. A constant is a number by itself with no variable behind it for example if I had 2x +9 the 2 is not a constant because it has a variable behind it but the 9 is a constant because there is no variable behind it. The next one is a coefficient.  A coefficient is basically a constant except its not alone it is in front of a variable for example if you had 8x – 4 the 8 is the coefficient because its in front of the x and the 4 is a constant because there is no variable behind it. The next one is a degree. A degree is the number of exponents on a variable for example if I had a question like 5x₈ – 5x₄ the degree is the 8 because it is the highest exponent in the question.  Next is a leading coefficient. A leading coefficient is a just like a coefficient but its the first one in the question for example if the question was 6x + 4x – 8b the leading coefficient is the 6 because it is the first coefficient that you see in the question. The next 3 are Trinomial, Binomial, and Monomial. A trinomial is a question that has three terms for example (3x + 4x₂ – 2) a binomial is the exact same thing but with only two terms and a monomial just has 1 term.

• Adding polynomials

Adding polynomials is really simple you basically just add the polynomials that match for an example if you had a question like 3x + 5x the answer is 8x but if you had a question like 2x + 7 you aren’t able to add them because they are not the same type of polynomial. Also if you had a question like 8x₂ + 4x₂ it would just be 12x₂ because you dont have to add the exponents together.

• Multiplying polynomials

Multiplying polynomials is similar to normal multiplying but if you had a question like 6x(2x + 3) you would have to distribute the brackets and for 6x times 2x you would multiply like normal and you would get 12×2 and theres a 2 after it because the 6 and the 2 both have an x after them which makes the two bu for 6x times 3 your answer would be 18x because the 6 has an x but the 3 doesn’t so you would only have to add 1 x after it.