Lesson 5 of 5
Chapter 3•interactive•35 min10 XP

Introduction to Polynomials

Introduction

Polynomials are mathematical expressions that appear constantly in science, engineering, and economics. From the trajectory of a projectile to the shape of a roller coaster, polynomial functions model the world around us.

1

Anatomy of a Polynomial

A polynomial is a sum of terms, where each term has a variable raised to a non-negative integer power, multiplied by a coefficient. The degree of a polynomial is the highest power. The leading coefficient is the coefficient of the highest-degree term.

p(x) = aₙxⁿ + aₙ₋₁xⁿ⁻¹ + ... + a₁x + a₀

Key Terms Glossary

Polynomial
An expression with variables raised to non-negative integer powers, added together.
Degree
The highest power of the variable in a polynomial.
Leading Coefficient
The coefficient of the term with the highest degree.

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  • What is the degree of the polynomial 5x³ - 2x⁵ + 7x - 3?

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