P olynomials
 

Monomials

A monomial is any expression of the form ax ; where a ∈ °   is the coefficient of the

n

monomial, x is the unknown, n indicates the degree of the monomial.

4
Example: in the monomial 3x , 3 is the coefficient, the degree of monomial is 4.

Two monomials are similar if they have the same degree and the same unknown. To
add/subtract two similar monomials you have to add/subtract their coefficients and you
have to write the same power.

To multiply two monomial you have to multiply their coefficients and add grades of the
unknowns. To divide two monomial you have to divide their coefficients and subtract grades
of the unknowns..

Examples: 2 x5 + 4 x5 = 6 x5 4 x 2 ·3x5 = 12 x 7 14 x9 : 7 x5 = 2 x 4

Binomials

A binomial is the sum of two monomials. Polynomial is called to the sum of several
polynomials. The degree of the polynomial is the highest degree of the polynomials that
form.

Polynomials

A polynomial with a x of degree n and coefficients ai ∈ ° , p( x) , is any expression of the

form

p( x) = an x n + an −1 x n −1 + K K + a2 x 2 + a1 x + a0

where an , an−1 ,L , a1 , a0 ∈ ° .

The numerical value of the polynomial p(x) at x = a is the value that results to replace the
variable x by the real number a , and we write p(a) .
2 2
Example. Let p( x) = 3x + 4 x − 5 , the value at x = 1 is p(1) = 3·1 + 4·1 − 5 = 2

 
 
  
Operations with polynomials

Addition and Subtraction

Let two polynomials:

p( x) = an x n + an −1 x n −1 + K K + a2 x 2 + a1 x + a0

q( x) = bn x n + bn −1 x n −1 + K K + b2 x 2 + b1 x + b0  

Addition/subtraction of two polynomials is as follows:

p( x) ± q( x) = ( an ± bn ) x n + ( an−1 ± bn−1 ) x n−1 + K K + ( a2 ± b2 ) x 2 + ( a1 ± b1 ) x + ( a0 ± b0 )

Product

The product of a monomial by a polynomial as the result of multiplying the monomial for
each term of the polynomial is defined. To multiply two polynomials, multiply each term of
one polynomial by all terms of the other, eventually all such terms are reduced. Let

p ( x) = a2 x 2 + a1 x + a0

q( x) = b2 x 2 + b1 x + b0

p( x)·q ( x) = ( a2 x 2 + a1 x + a0 )(
· b2 x 2 + b1 x + b0 ) =
a2 x 2 ( b2 x 2 + b1 x + b0 ) + a1 x (b2 x 2 + b1 x + b0 ) + a0 (b2 x 2 + b1 x + b0 ) =
a2b2 x 2 x 2 + a2b1 x 2 x + a2b0 x 2 + a1b2 xx 2 + a1b1 xx + a1b0 x + a0b2 x 2 + a0b1 x + a0b0 =
a2b2 x 4 + a2b1 x 3 + a2b0 x 2 + a1b2 x 3 + a1b1 x 2 + a1b0 x + a0b2 x 2 + a0b1 x + a0b0 =
a2b2 x 4 + ( a2b1 + a1b2 ) x 3 + ( a2b0 + a1b1 + a0b2 ) x 2 + ( a1b0 + a0b1 ) x + a0b0

 
 
  

Take common factor polynomials

To take the common factor polynomials is similarly applicable to common factor to take real
numbers.

Let 𝑝 𝑥 , 𝑞 𝑥  𝑎𝑛𝑑  𝑟 𝑥 three polynomials, where coefficients a ° . Then:

p( x)·r ( x) + q( x)·r ( x) = ( p( x) + q( x) )·r ( x)

r ( x)·p( x) + r ( x)·q( x) = r ( x)·( p( x) + q( x) )

Notable identities

• The square of a sume is the square of the first, plus twice the first by the second, plus
the square of the second:
2
(a + b) = a2 + 2a·b + b2
• The square of a subtract is the square of the first, least twice the former by the latter,
plus the square of the second:
2
(a − b) = a2 − 2a·b + b2
• Sum by subtract is the subtract of the squares:
( a + b )·( a − b ) = a2 − b2

Division two monomials

To divide two monomials, we divide the coefficients and calculated the ratio between the
powers of the same base.

14 x9 y 6
4 5
= 7 x5 y
2x y

 
 
  
 

Polynomial division

Let D( x) and d ( x) two polynomials where coefficients a ° , where

grado ( d ( x) ) ≤ grado ( D( x) )

To compute the integer división of the polynomial D( x) (dividend) between the polynomial
d ( x) (divisor), is to find two polynomials c( x) (quotient) and r ( x) (remainder) that verifies:

D( x) d ( x)·c( x) r ( x) D( x ) r ( x)
= + ⇒ = c( x) +
d ( x) d ( x) d ( x) d ( x) d ( x)

Before the division of two polynomials you should check that the dividend and divisor are
sorted in descending order.

Example:

6 x 4 + 5 x3 − 4 x 2 + 8 x − 9 3x 2 + 4 x − 5
10
−6 x 4 − 8 x3 + 10 x 2 2 x2 − x +
3
− 3x3 + 6 x 2 + 8 x
+ 3x3 + 4 x 2 − 5 x
10 x 2 + 3 x − 9
40 50
− 10 x 2 − x+
3 3
31 23
− x+
3 3

 
 
  

Ruffini's rule

Ruffini's rule allows us to know the quotient and remainder of dividing the polynomial

p( x) = an x n + an −1 x n −1 + K K + a2 x 2 + a1 x + a0

by the polynomial of degree one x − a . To do this, we write in descending order coefficients

of p( x) , with their signs. If a power failure, the coefficient 0, do not forget to write. We write
a on the left side of the perpendicular axis and the main coefficient in the first line as:

an an −1 an − 2 L L a2 a1 a0
a
↓ a·bn −1 Z a·bn − 2 Z L a·b2 Z a·b1 Z a·b0
an = bn −1 Z bn − 2 Z bn −3 Z L b1 Z b0 Z b−1 = R

where

bn−1 = an , bn−2 = a·bn−1 + an−1 , bn−3 = a·bn−2 + an−2 , … … , b1 = a·b2 + a2 , b0 = a·b1 + a1

b−1 = a·b0 + a0
n −1 n−2
The quotient of the division is c( x) = bn −1 x + bn −2 x + L + b1 x + b0 , and the remanider
R = b−1 .

Roots of a polynomial

We say that r is a root of p( x) iff p(r ) = 0

Possible roots of a polynomial

p( x) = an x n + an −1 x n −1 + K K + a2 x 2 + a1 x + a0

are the divisors of the independent term a0

 
 
  

Remainder theorem

The remainder of the division p( x) : ( x − a) is the numerical value p( x) , when replace x by a

R = p (a )

The remainder of the division p( x) : ( x + a) is the numerical value p( x) , when replace x by −a

R = p (−a )