CHAPTER 2.

POLYNOMIAL

 Polynomials are expressions with one or more terms with a non-zero coefficient.
 A polynomial can have more than one term.
 In the polynomial, each expression in it is called a term.
Eg. x2 + 5x + 2 is polynomial,
 In the above polynomial expressions x2, 5x, and 2 are the terms of the
polynomial.
 Each term of the polynomial has a coefficient.
Eg., If 2x + 1 is the polynomial, then the coefficient of x is 2.
 The real numbers can also be expressed as polynomials. Like 3, 6, 7, are also
polynomials without any variables. These are called constant polynomials. The
constant polynomial 0 is called zero polynomial.
 The exponent of the polynomial should be a whole number.
Eg. x-2 + 5x + 2, cannot be considered as a polynomial, since the exponent of x
is -2, which is not a whole number.
 The highest power of the polynomial is called the degree of the polynomial.
Eg,, in x3 + y3 + 3xy(x + y), the degree of the polynomial is 3.
 For a non zero constant polynomial, the degree is zero
Eg, The degree of the polynomial 5 is zero.
Apart from these, there are other types of polynomials such as:

 Linear polynomial – of degree one

 Quadratic Polynomial- of degree two
 Cubic Polynomial – of degree three

Types of polynomial

Monomial: Polynomial having only one term is called a monomial.

Eg. 20, 50x, 2x2y

Binomial: Polynomial having only two terms are called binomial

Eg: y+6z, 5c2-9h, a+2b

Trinomial: Polynomial having only three terms are called trinomial

x +y-z, 7a + b + 8, 4x3+y2-z
 Exercise 2.1.
1.Which of the following expressions are polynomials in one variable and which are not?
State reasons for your answer.
(i) 4x2 – 3x + 7
(ii) y2 + √2
(iii) 3 √t + t√2
(iv) y+ 2/y
(v) x10+ y3 + t50
Solution:
(i) We have 4x2 – 3x + 7 = 4x2 – 3x + 7x0
It is a polynomial in one variable i.e., x
because each exponent of x is a whole number.
(ii) We have y2 + √2 = y2 + √2y0
It is a polynomial in one variable i.e., y
because each exponent of y is a whole number.

(iii) We have 3 √t + t√2 = 3 t1/2 + √2.t

It is not a polynomial, because one of the exponents of t is 1/2,
which is not a whole number.]

(iv) We have y + 2/y = y + 2.y-1

It is not a polynomial, because one of the exponents of y is -1,
which is not a whole number.

We have x10 + y3 + t50

Here, exponent of every variable is a whole number, but x10 + y3 + t50 is a polynomial in
x, y and t, i.e., in three variables.
So, it is not a polynomial in one variable.

2) Write the coefficients of x2 in each of the following

(i) 2 + x2 + x
(ii) 2 – x2 + x3
(iii) π/2 x2 + x
(iv) √2 x – 1
Solution:
(i) The given polynomial is 2 + x2 + x.
The coefficient of x2 is 1.
(ii) The given polynomial is 2 – x2 + x3.
The coefficient of x2 is -1.
(iii) The given polynomial is π/2 x2 + x.
The coefficient of x2 is π2.
(iv) The given polynomial is √2 x – 1.
The coefficient of x2 is 0.
(3) Give one example each of a binomial of degree 35, and of a monomial of degree
100.
Solution:
(i) A binomial of degree 35 = 3x35 .

(ii) A monomial of degree 100 = √2y100.

4.Write the degree of each of the following polynomials.

(i) 5x3 + 4x2 + 7x
(ii) 4 – y2
(iii) 5t – √7
(iv) 3
Solution:
(i) The given polynomial is 5x3 + 4x2 + 7x.
The highest power of the variable x is 3.
So, the degree of the polynomial is 3.
(ii) The given polynomial is 4- y2. The highest
power of the variable y is 2.
So, the degree of the polynomial is 2.

iii) The given polynomial is 5t – √7 . The highest power of variable t is 1. So, the degree
of the polynomial is 1.
(iv) Since, 3 = 3x° [∵ x°=1]
So, the degree of the polynomial is 0.

5.Classify the following as linear, quadratic and cubic polynomials.

(i) x2+ x
(ii) x – x3
(iii) y + y2+4
(iv) 1 + x
(v) 3t
(vi) r2
(vii) 7x3
Solution:
(i) The degree of x2 + x is 2. So, it is a quadratic polynomial.
(ii) The degree of x – x3 is 3. So, it is a cubic polynomial.
(iii) The degree of y + y2 + 4 is 2. So, it is a quadratic polynomial.
(iv) The degree of 1 + x is 1. So, it is a linear polynomial.
(v) The degree of 3t is 1. So, it is a linear polynomial.
(vi) The degree of r2 is 2. So, it is a quadratic polynomial.
(vii) The degree of 7x3 is 3. So, it is a cubic polynomial.
ZEROS OF A POLYNOMIAL

 A real number ‘a’ is a zero of a polynomial p(x) if p(a) = 0, where a is also known
as root of the equation p(x) = 0.

.Eg: Check whether x = -1/6 is zero of the polynomial p(x) = 6x + 1.

Sol: p(-1/6) = 6 x (-1/6) + 1 = -1 + 1 = 0

Therefore x = -1/6 is the zero of the polynomial

Notes

* A zero of a polynomial need not to be 0.

* 0 may be zero of a polynomial.

* Every linear polynomial has one and only one zero.

* A polynomial can have more than one zero.

Exercise 2.2

Question 1:

Find the value of the polynomial at

(i) x = 0 (ii) x = −1 (iii) x = 2

ANSWER:

(i)

(ii)

(iii)
Question 2:

Find p(0), p(1) and p(2) for each of the following polynomials:

(i) p(y) = y2 − y + 1 (ii) p(t) = 2 + t + 2t2 − t3

(iii) p(x) = x3 (iv) p(x) = (x − 1) (x + 1)

ANSWER:

(i) p(y) = y2 − y + 1

p(0) = (0)2 − (0) + 1 = 1

p(1) = (1)2 − (1) + 1 = 1

p(2) = (2)2 − (2) + 1 = 3

(ii) p(t) = 2 + t + 2t2 − t3

p(0) = 2 + 0 + 2 (0)2 − (0)3 = 2

p(1) = 2 + (1) + 2(1)2 − (1)3

=2+1+2−1=4

p(2) = 2 + 2 + 2(2)2 − (2)3

=2+2+8−8=4

(iii) p(x) = x3

p(0) = (0)3 = 0

p(1) = (1)3 = 1

p(2) = (2)3 = 8

(iv) p(x) = (x − 1) (x + 1)

p(0) = (0 − 1) (0 + 1) = (− 1) (1) = − 1

p(1) = (1 − 1) (1 + 1) = 0 (2) = 0
p(2) = (2 − 1 ) (2 + 1) = 1(3) = 3

Question 3:

Verify whether the following are zeroes of the polynomial, indicated against them.

(i) (ii)

(iii) p(x) = x2 − 1, x = 1, − 1 (iv) p(x) = (x + 1) (x − 2), x = − 1, 2

(v) p(x) = x2 , x = 0 (vi) p(x) = lx + m

(vii) (viii)
ANSWER:

(i) If is a zero of given polynomial p(x) = 3x + 1,

then should be 0.

Therefore, is a zero of the given polynomial.

(ii) If is a zero of polynomial p(x) = 5x − π ,

then should be 0.
Therefore, is not a zero of the given polynomial.

(iii) If x = 1 and x = −1 are zeroes of polynomial p(x) = x2 − 1, then p(1) and p(−1) should
be 0.

Here, p(1) = (1)2 − 1 = 0, and

p(− 1) = (− 1)2 − 1 = 0

Hence, x = 1 and −1 are zeroes of the given polynomial.

(iv) If x = −1 and x = 2 are zeroes of polynomial p(x) = (x +1) (x − 2), then p(−1)
and p(2)should be 0.

Here, p(−1) = (− 1 + 1) (− 1 − 2) = 0 (−3) = 0, and

p(2) = (2 + 1) (2 − 2 ) = 3 (0) = 0

Therefore, x = −1 and x = 2 are zeroes of the given polynomial.

(v) If x = 0 is a zero of polynomial p(x) = x2, then p(0) should be zero.

Here, p(0) = (0)2 = 0

Hence, x = 0 is a zero of the given polynomial.

(vi) If is a zero of polynomial p(x) = lx + m, then should be 0.

Here,

Therefore, is a zero of the given polynomial.

(vii) If and are zeroes of polynomial p(x) = 3x2 − 1, then

Hence, is a zero of the given polynomial. However, is not a zero of the
given polynomial.

(viii) If is a zero of polynomial p(x) = 2x + 1, then should be 0.

Therefore, is not a zero of the given polynomial.

Question 4:

Find the zero of the polynomial in each of the following cases:

(i) p(x) = x + 5 (ii) p(x) = x − 5 (iii) p(x) = 2x + 5

(iv) p(x) = 3x − 2 (v) p(x) = 3x (vi) p(x) = ax, a ≠ 0

(vii) p(x) = cx + d, c ≠ 0, c, are real numbers.

ANSWER:

Zero of a polynomial is that value of the variable at which the value of the polynomial is
obtained as 0.

(i) p(x) = x + 5

p(x) = 0

x+5=0
x=−5

Therefore, for x = −5, the value of the polynomial is 0 and hence, x = −5 is a zero of the
given polynomial.

(ii) p(x) = x − 5

p(x) = 0

x−5=0

x=5

Therefore, for x = 5, the value of the polynomial is0 and hence, x = 5 is a zero of the
given polynomial.

(iii) p(x) = 2x + 5

p(x) = 0

2x + 5 = 0

2x = − 5

Therefore, for , the value of the polynomial is 0 and hence, is a zero of

the given polynomial.

(iv) p(x) = 3x − 2

p(x) = 0

3x − 2 = 0

Therefore, for , the value of the polynomial is 0 and hence, is a zero of the
given polynomial.

(v) p(x) = 3x
p(x) = 0

3x = 0

x=0

Therefore, for x = 0, the value of the polynomial is 0 and hence, x = 0 is a zero of the
given polynomial.

(vi) p(x) = ax

p(x) = 0

ax = 0

x=0

Therefore, for x = 0, the value of the polynomial is 0 and hence, x = 0 is a zero of the
given polynomial.

(vii) p(x) = cx + d

p(x) = 0

cx+ d = 0

Therefore, for , the value of the polynomial is 0 and hence, is a zero of

the given polynomial

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