Polynomial Concepts Quiz

Degree of Polynomials

• The degree of a polynomial is the highest power of the variable in the polynomial
• The polynomial $3x^4 + 2x^3 - x + 7$ has a degree of 4, because the highest power of $x$ is 4.

Types of Polynomials

• A binomial is a polynomial with two terms
• A monomial is a polynomial with one term
• Trinomial is a polynomial with three terms

Factoring Polynomials

• Factoring a polynomial means writing it as a product of simpler polynomials.
• The polynomial $x^2 - 9$ can be factored as $(x + 3)(x - 3)$

Solving Polynomial Equations

• To solve a polynomial equation, set the polynomial equal to zero and solve for the variable.
• To find the value of $x$ in the polynomial equation $x^2 - 5x + 6 = 0$, factor the polynomial to get $(x - 2)(x - 3) = 0$.
• Therefore, the solutions are $x = 2$ or $x = 3$.

Leading Coefficient of a Polynomial

• The leading coefficient of a polynomial is the coefficient of the term with the highest degree.
• The leading coefficient of the polynomial $5x^3 + 2x^2 + 4$ is 5.