Operations with Polynomials

 
Learning Objective(s)
         Add polynomials with more than one variable.
         Subtract polynomials with more than one variable.
         Multiply polynomials with more than one variable.
         Divide polynomials with more than one variable.

Introduction
 
Just as you can perform the four operations on polynomials with one variable, you can add,
subtract, multiply, and divide polynomials with more than one variable. The process is
exactly the same, but you have more variables to keep track of. When you are adding and
subtracting polynomials with more than one variable, you have to pay particular care to
combining like terms only. When you multiply and divide, you also need to pay particular
attention to the multiple variables and terms. You can multiply and divide terms that aren’t
like, but to add and subtract terms they must be like terms.
 
Adding Polynomials with More Than One Variable
 
To add polynomials, you first need to identify the like terms in the polynomials and then
combine them according to the correct integer operations. Since like terms must have the
same exact variables raised to the same exact power, identifying them in polynomials with
more than one variable takes a careful eye. Sometimes parentheses are used to distinguish
between the addition of two polynomials and the addition of a collection of monomials. With
addition, you can simply remove the parentheses and perform the addition.

Example
Problem Add. (4x2 – 12xy + 9y2) + (25x2 + 4xy – 32y2)
4x2 +(−12xy) + 9y2 + 25x2 + 4xy + (−32y2) Remove the parentheses
grouping the polynomial
and rewrite any
subtraction as addition of
the opposite.
(4x2 +25x2) +[(−12xy)+ 4xy] + [9y2+ (−32y2)] Group like terms using
commutative and
associative properties.
29x2 + (−8xy) +(−23y2) Combine like terms.
Answer The sum is 29x2 – 8xy – 23y2. Rewrite as subtraction.
 
 
Some people find that writing the polynomial addition in a vertical form makes it easy to
combine like terms. The process of adding the polynomials is the same, but the arrangement
of the terms is different. The example below shows this “vertical” method of adding
polynomials:

Example
 Problem Add. (3x + 2y – 4z ) + (45x – y + 75z)

Write one polynomial

below the other,
  + 2y –  
3x 4z making sure to line up
like terms.
+ 45 –   y + 75
x z

Combine like terms,

  48x + y + 71z
paying close attention
to the signs.
Answer The sum is 48x + y + 71z.
 
 
When there isn't a matching like term for every term in each polynomial, there will be empty
places in the vertical arrangement of the polynomials. This layout makes it easy to check
that you are combining like terms only.
 
 
Example
Problem Add. (10ab + 15ac – 25bc + 5) + (4ab – 8bc – 12)

Write one polynomial

10ab + 15ac – 25bc +  5 below the other,
making sure to line up
+   4ab –   8bc – 12 like terms.

14ab + 15ac – 33bc – 7 Combine like terms,

paying close attention
to the signs.
Answer The sum is 14ab + 15ac – 33bc – 7.
 
 
Add.
(8a3b2 + 6a2b – 4b2 + 5) + (10a2b – 4a3b2 + 6a2 – 7)

A) 18a3b2 + 2a2b + 2b2 – 2

B) 4a3b2 + 16a2b + 6a2 – 4b2 – 2

C) 18a3b2 + 2a2b + 6a2 – 4b2 – 2

D) 4a6b4 + 16a4b2 + 6a2 – 4b2 – 2

Show/Hide Answer

 
 
Subtracting Polynomials with More Than One Variable
 
You can apply the same process used to subtract polynomials with one variable to subtract
polynomials with more than one variable. In order to remove the parentheses following a
subtraction sign, you must multiply each term by −1.
 
 
Example
Problem Subtract. (14x3y2 – 5xy + 14y) – (7x3y2 – 8xy + 10y)
14x3y2 – 5xy + 14y – 7x3y2 + 8xy  – 10y Remove the parentheses. Notice
the signs!
14x3y2  – 7x3y2 – 5xy  + 8xy + 14y – 10y Regroup to put like terms together.
When you regroup or rearrange
terms involving subtraction, think of
the subtraction as “adding the
opposite” and move the negative
sign along with the term.
7x3y2 + 3xy  + 4y Combine like terms.
Answer The difference is 7x3y2 + 3xy + 4y.
 
 
An alternative to the approach shown above is the vertical method for arranging the
subtraction problem. This method is shown below for a different problem. Both methods are
effective for subtracting polynomials—the idea is to identify and organize like terms in order
to compute with them accurately.
 
Example
Problem Subtract. (10a3  + 5b2  – 5c + 10) – (15 + 5c  – 15b2 + 10a3)
10a3 + 5b2 – 5c + 10 Organize the like terms
  – (10a3 – 15b2 + 5c + 15) using the vertical
approach.
0 + 20b2 – 10c – 5 Combine like terms.
Pay attention to the
signs when
subtracting.
Answer The difference is 20b2 – 10c – 5.
 
 
The examples that follow illustrate the left-to-right and vertical methods for the same
polynomial subtraction problem. Think about which method you find easier.
 
 
Example
Problem Subtract. (3x4y3 + 5x3y2  –  2x2y2) –  (−2x4y3 + 4x3y2 – 2x2y3 – 1)
 3x4y3 + 5x3y2  –  2x2y2 + 2x4y3 – 4x3y2 + 2x2y3 + 1 Remove the parentheses.
The first polynomial stays
the same. The signs
change in the second
polynomial.
3x4y3 + 2x4y3 + 5x3y2 – 4x3y2  –  2x2y2 + 2x2y3 + 1 Regroup using commutative
and associative properties.

5x4y3 + x3y2 –  2x2y2 + 2x2y3 + 1 Combine like terms.

Answer The difference is 5x4y3 + x3y2 – 2x2y2 + 2x2y3 + 1.

 
 
Example
Problem Subtract. (3x4y3 + 5x3y2 – 2x2y2) –  (−2x4y3 + 4x3y2 – 2x2y3 – 1)
Write one polynomial
below the other,
4 3
 3x y + 5x y
3 2
– 2x y2 2
making sure to line up
– (−2x4y3 + 4x3y2 – 2x2y3 – 1) like terms.

5x4y3 Combine like terms,

+  x3y2 – 2x2y2 + 2x2y3 + 1
paying close attention
to the signs.
Answer The difference is 5x4y3 + x3y2 – 2x2y2+ 2x2y3 + 1.
 

http://www.montereyinstitute.org/courses/DevelopmentalMath/
COURSE_TEXT2_RESOURCE/U11_L3_T2_text_final.html
Adding Polynomials
AdditionSubtraction
Purplemath
Adding polynomials is just a matter of combining like terms, with some order of
operations considerations thrown in. As long as you're careful with the "minus" signs, and
don't confuse addition and multiplication, you should do fine.
There are a couple formats for adding and subtracting polynomials, and they hearken back to the
two methods you learned for addition and subtract of plain numbers, back when you were in
grade school. First, you learned addition "horizontally", like this:
6+3=9

That is, you were given relatively small values, and you learned to do the addition — largely in
your head, and by working horizontally. We can add polynomials in the same way, grouping any
"like" terms and then simplifying the results.

 Simplify (2x + 5y) + (3x – 2y)

I'll clear the parentheses first. This is easy to do when adding, because there are no "minus"
signs to take through any parentheticals. Then I'll group the like terms in accordance to their
variables (keeping them in alphabetical order), and finally I'll simplify:

(2x + 5y) + (3x – 2y)

2x + 5y + 3x – 2y
2x + 3x + 5y – 2y
5x + 3y

These two terms are un-like (because they have different variables), so I cannot combine them.
This means that I've gone as far as I can, so my hand-in answer is:

5x + 3y

Content Continues Below

Horizontal addition works fine for simple polynomials. But when you were adding plain old
numbers, you didn't generally try to apply horizontal addition to adding numbers
like 432 and 246; instead, you would stack the numbers vertically, one on top of the other, and
then add down the columns (doing "carries", as necessary):

432
+246
672

You can do the same thing with polynomials. Here's how the above simplification exercise looks,
when it is done "vertically"

 Simplify (2x + 5y) + (3x – 2y)

I'll put each variable in its own column; in this case, the first column will be the x-column, and the
second column will be the y-column:

2x + 5y
3x - 2y
5x + 3y
I get the same solution vertically as I got horizontally.

5x + 3y

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The format you use, horizontal or vertical, is a matter of taste (unless the instructions explicitly
tell you otherwise). Given a choice, you should use whichever format that you're more
comfortable and successful with. Note that, for simple additions, horizontal addition (so you don't
have to rewrite the problem) is probably simplest, but, once the polynomials get complicated,
vertical is probably safest bet (so you don't "drop", or lose, terms and minus signs).
One advantage of vertical polynomial addition over vertical numerical addition: there is never
anything to "carry" from one column to the next.

 Simplify (3x3 + 3x2 – 4x + 5) + (x3 – 2x2 + x – 4)

I can add horizontally:

(3x3 + 3x2 – 4x + 5) + (x3 – 2x2 + x – 4)

3x3 + 3x2 – 4x + 5 + x3 – 2x2 + x – 4
3x3 + x3 + 3x2 – 2x2 – 4x + x + 5 – 4
4x3 + 1x2 – 3x + 1

...or vertically:

3x3 + 3x2 – 4x + 5

x3 – 2x2 +  x – 4
4x3 + 1x2 – 3x + 1

Either way, I get the same answer. For my final hand-in answer, I'll remove the "understood" 1s.
4x3 + x2 – 3x + 1

Note that each column in the vertical addition above contains only one degree of x: the first
column above (that is, the left-most column being added down) was the x3 column, the second
column was the x2 column, the third column was the x column, and the fourth column was the
constants column. This is analogous to having a thousands column, a hundreds column, a tens
column, and a ones column when doing strictly-numerical addition.
And, just as we need to use zeroes to fill empty slots in hundreds columns (or whichever column
has no digit), we need to leave spaces in vertical addition for any gaps in the powers of variables.

 Simplify (7x2 – x  – 4) + (x2 – 2x – 3) + (–2x2 + 3x + 5)

It's perfectly okay to have to add three or more polynomials at once. I'll just go slowly and do
each step throroughly, and it should work out right.
First, I'll do the adding horizontally:
(7x2 – x – 4) + (x2 – 2x – 3) + (–2x2 + 3x + 5)
7x2 – x – 4 + x2 – 2x – 3 + –2x2 + 3x + 5
7x2 + 1x2 – 2x2 – 1x – 2x + 3x – 4 – 3 + 5
8x2 – 2x2 – 3x + 3x – 7 + 5
6x2 – 2
Note the 1's in the third line. Any time I have a variable without a coefficient, there is an
"understood" 1 as the coefficient. If it's helpful to me to write that 1 in, then I'll do so.
Now, I'll do the adding vertically:

7x2  –  x – 4
x2 – 2x – 3
–2x2 + 3x + 5
6x2 + 0 x – 2

Either way, I get the same answer. For my hand-in answer, I won't include the "+0x" term.

6x2 – 2

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 Simplify (x3 + 5x2 – 2x) + (x3 + 3x – 6) + (–2x2 + x – 2)

Horizontally:
(x3 + 5x2 – 2x) + (x3 + 3x – 6) + (–2x2 + x – 2)
x3 + 5x2 – 2x + x3 + 3x – 6 + –2x2 + x – 2
x3 + x3 + 5x2 – 2x2 – 2x + 3x + x – 6 – 2
2x3 + 3x2 + 2x – 8

When I add large numbers, there are sometimes zeroes in the numbers, such as in the following:

1000
+ 560
1562

The zeroes in "1002" stand for "zero hundreds" and "zero tens". They are what is called
"placeholders", indicating that there are no hundreds or tens. If I didn't include those zeroes in
the numerical expression, then I'd have (in the top line) "12", which isn't what I mean. The zeroes
keep things lined up properly. When I vertically add polynomials that skip some of the degrees
of x, I need to leave gaps, so that the terms in the various polynomials line up properly (that is,
according to degree).

Here's what it looks like, when I have polynomials with gaps in their powers, and I add vertically:

1 x3 + 5x2 – 2x
1 x3  + 3x – 6
–2x2 + 1x – 2
2x3 + 3x2 + 2x – 8

Whether working vertically or horizontally, I get the same answer:

2x3 + 3x2 + 2x – 8

http://purplemath.com/modules/polyadd.htm
Subtracting Polynomials
AdditionSubtraction
Purplemath
Subtracting polynomials is quite similar to adding polynomials, but there are those pesky "minus"
signs to deal with. If the subtraction is being done horizontally, then the "minus" signs will need to
be taken carefully through the parentheses. If the subtraction is done vertically, then all that's
needed is flipping all of the subtracted polynomial's signs to their opposites.

 Simplify (x3 +  3x2 + 5x – 4) –  (3x3 – 8x2 – 5x + 6)

The first thing I have to do is take that "minus" sign through the parentheses containing the
second polynomial. Some students find it helpful to put a "1" in front of the parentheses, to help
them keep track of the minus sign.

Here's what the subtraction looks like, when working horizontally:

(x3 + 3x2 + 5x – 4) – (3x3 – 8x2 – 5x + 6)

(x3 + 3x2 + 5x – 4) – 1(3x3 – 8x2 – 5x + 6)
(x3 + 3x2 + 5x – 4) – 1(3x3) – 1 (–8x2) – 1(–5x) – 1(6)
x3 + 3x2 + 5x – 4 – 3x3 + 8x2 + 5x – 6
x3 – 3x3 + 3x2 + 8x2 + 5x + 5x – 4 – 6
–2x3 + 11x2 + 10x –10

And here's what the subtraction looks like, when going vertically:

x3 + 3x2 + 5x – 4

– 3x3 – 8x2 – 5x + 6

In the horizontal addition (above), you may have noticed that running the negative through the
parentheses changed the sign on each and every term inside those parentheses. The shortcut
when working vertically is to not bother writing in the subtaction sign or the parentheses; instead,
write the second polynomial in the second row, and then just flip all the signs in that row, "plus" to
"minus" and "minus" to "plus".

I'll change all the signs in the second row (shown in red below), and add down:

x3 + 3x2 + 5x – 4

+ 3x3 + 8x2 + 5x – 6

Either way, I get the answer:

–2x3 + 11x2 + 10x – 10

Content Continues Below

 Simplify (6x3 – 2x2 + 8x) – (4x3 – 11x + 10)
Here's the subtraction, done horizontally:

(6x3 – 2x2 + 8x) – (4x3 – 11x + 10)

(6x3 – 2x2 + 8x) – 1(4x3 – 11x + 10)
(6x3 – 2x2 + 8x) – 1(4x3) – 1(–11x) – 1(10)
6x3 – 2x2 + 8x – 4x3 + 11x – 10
6x3 – 4x3 – 2x2 + 8x + 11x – 10
2x3 – 2x2 + 19x – 10

Going vertically, I'll write out the polynomials, leaving gaps as necessary:

6x3 – 2x2 + 8x
– 4x3  – 11x + 10
Then I'll flip all of the signs in the second line, and then add down:

6x3 – 2x2 + 8x
+ 4x3  + 11x – 10
2x  – 2x  + 19x – 10
3 2

Either way, I get the same answer:

2x3 – 2x2 + 19x – 10

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Are we limited to only adding or subtracting pairs of polynomials? No, not at all. Especially once
you get to calculus, it is very likely that it will be necessary to combine three or more polynomials,
some of which are added and others which are subtracted. Just take care to write things out
neatly, and don't try to do too much in any one step.

 Simplify: (3x2 – 5x – 1) – (x3 – 2x2 + 4) + (9x3 + 5x2 – 3x – 2)

Okay; to make this easier on myself, I'm first going to flip all of the signs for the second
parenthetical, because there's currently a "minus" sign in front of that polynomial. So that middle
polynomial becomes:

–x3 + 2x2 – 4

Then I'll set up my simplification (which now involves only addition) in the vertical format:

3x2 – 5x – 1
–  x3 – 2x2  + 4
 9x  + 5x  – 3x – 2
3 2

Then my hand-in answer is:

8x3 + 10x2 – 8x + 1

https://www.purplemath.com/modules/polyadd2.htm
ADDITION AND SUBTRACTION OF POLYNOMIALS

Adding (or subtracting) polynomials is really just an exercise in collecting like terms.
For example, if we want to add the polynomial

2x2 + 4x – 3 

to the polynomial

6x + 4,

we would just put them together and collect like terms:

Notice that the parentheses in the first line are only there to distinguish the two
polynomials.

Although this is basically just a bookkeeping activity, it can get a little messy when
there are many terms. One way to help keep things straight is to use the column
format for addition, keeping like terms lined up in columns:

This method is particularly helpful in the case of subtraction, because it is too easy to make a
mistake distributing the minus sign when you write it all in one

row.https://www.jamesbrennan.org/algebra/polynomials/addition_and_subtraction_of_poly.htm
Worksheet on Adding and Subtracting
Polynomials
Search
 

Practice the problems given in the worksheet on adding and subtracting

polynomials. The questions are based on different types of word problems on
addition and subtraction of polynomials.

1. Solve the following subtraction:

(i) Take – (3/2)a + b – c from (1/2)a – (1/3)b – (3/2)c

(ii) Take 1 – x + x2 from x2 + x + 1

(iii) Take 3a + 2b – 6c from 8a – 4b – 2c

2. (i) What should be added to 3m to get 5m?

(ii) What should be added to -p to get 4p?

(iii) What should be added to x - y to get 2x + y?

3. From the sum of a + b – 2c and 2a – b + c, subtract a + b + c.

4. Subtract the sum of p + q and p – r from the sum of p – 2r and p + q + r.

5. The sum of two expressions is 5m2 – 3n2. If one of them is 3m2 + 4mn –
n2, find the other.

6. From the sum of a - b + 11 and –b – 9, subtract 2a - 3b - 1.

7.What should be added to m3 + 3mn + 2n2 to obtain 5m2 + mn?

8. How much does 3m2 – 2m + 1 exceed 5m2 – a2 + 5a – 9?

9. How much is 8z2 – 3z + 4 less than z3 – 2z2 + 5z - 1?

10. By how much must 3x + 7z be diminished to give 5x – 7z?

11. Subtract z3 – z2 + z - 1 from z3 - 2z2 + 1 and add your result to z2 –
3z2 + z - 1.
Answers for the worksheet on adding and subtracting polynomials are given
below to check the exact answers of the above word problems.

Answers:

1. (i) 2a – (4/3)b – (1/2)c

(ii) 2x

(iii) 5a – 6b + 4c

2. (i) 2m

(ii) 5p

(iii) x + 2y

3. 2a – b – 2c

4. 0

5. 2m2 – 4mn – 2n2

6. -a + b + 3

7. -m3 + 5m2 – 2mn – 2n2

8. -2m2 – 2m + 10 + a2 – 5a

9. z3 – 10z2 + 8z - 5

10. -2x + 14z

11. 1 – 3z3

https://www.math-only-math.com/worksheet-on-adding-and-subtracting-polynomials.html