Polynomial
Polynomial
The sum or difference of terms which have variables raised to positive integer powers and which have coefficients that may be real or complex.
The following are all polynomials: 5x3 – 2x2 + x – 13, x2y3 + xy, and (1 + i)a2 + ib2.
Note: Even though the prefix poly- means many, we use the word polynomial to refer to polynomials with 1 term (monomials), 2 terms (binomials), 3 terms, (trinomials), etc.
Standard form for a polynomial in one variable:
anxn + an–1xn–1 + ··· + a2x2 + a1x + a0
See also