Study Guide: Polynomials

These web-based activities were developed, during summer sessions from 1997 through 1999, by students at Mainland High School, located in Daytona Beach, FL. As part of Mainland's CCTT grant, the students were given permission by the book's publisher to convert the ancillary materials of the County's adopted Algebra 1 textbook (Glencoe Algebra 1 — ISBN: 9780028253282) into html format.

Study Guide
Polynomials

A polynomial is a monomial or the sum of mononials. A binomial is the sum of two monomials, and a trinomial is the sum of three monomials.

To find the degrees of a polynomial, first find the degree of each of its term. This is done by adding the exponents of all variables in the term. The degree of the polynomial is the greatest of the degrees of its terms. The terms of a polynomial are usually arranged so that the powers of one variable are in either ascending or descending order.

Ascending Order: 3 + 5a − 8a² +a³

Descending Order: (in x) x⁵y² − x⁴ + x³y² − 5xy

Directions: Find the degree of each polynomial.

6
3
1
1
0
3
4
5
13

Directions: Arrange the terms of each polynomials so that the powers of x are in descending order.

Directions: Arrange the terms of each polynomials so that the powers of x are in ascending order.