Polynomials

The degree of a term

The power (or index) of a term is also its degree.

The leading term of an expression is the term with the highest degree. This is also the degree
of the expression.

Questions
1. For each of the following, state the leading term and the degree of the expression.
The first two have been done for you.

a) 4x 3
+ 5x + 7 b) 12x 2
− x
4
− 3 c) 5x7
+ 2x
5
+ 4x

leading term: 4x 3
leading term: −x 4
leading term:
degree: 3 degree: 4 degree:

5 2
4x 1 x
d) 2x 3
− 3x + e) −5x 2
− f) 1 + − 27x
4

3 2 4

leading term: leading term: leading term:

degree: degree: degree:

A degree of zero

When a term has a degree of zero, we just write the coefficient by itself. For example,
0
4x = 4 × 1

= 4

These terms are called constants, because their value doesn’t depend on the variable.

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 Polynomials

2. Copy and complete the sentences for each expression. The first one has been done for you.

a) 4x 3
+ 2x
2
− 3x + 7

The coefficient of the leading term is 4.

The coefficient of the term with degree 1 is −3.
The coefficient of the constant term is 7.

b) −x 7
+ x
4
+ 5x
2
+ 10x − 23

The coefficient of the leading term is .

The coefficient of the term with degree 2 is .
The coefficient of the constant term is .

3. Copy and complete the following table with the coefficients of each term in the expressions.
Expression x
0
x
1 2
x x
3 4
x x
5 6
x

5 3
x + 2x − 3x + 1 1 −3 0 2 0 1 0

6 2
2x − 4x + 2x

−5

5 4
5x − 3x + x + 7

2
3x

6 4 3 2
4x + 2x − 10x + x + 6

4. Write the expression that represents each of the following tables.

a) x
0
x
1
x
2
x
3
x
4
x
5
x
6
b) x
0
x
1
x
2
x
3
x
4
x
5 6
x

−5 3 0 4 −1 0 0 4 −3 2 0 0 0 5

c) x
0
x
1 2
x x
3
x
4 5
x x
6
d) x
0
x
1
x
2
x
3
x
4
x
5 6
x

3 2 −17 21 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 1

e) x
0
x
1
x
2
x
3
x
4
x
5
x
6
f) x
0 1
x x
2
x
3 4
x x
5
x
6

1 −27 0 0 3 0 0 −3 2 −1 12 0 −1 0

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 Polynomials

Polynomials

A polynomial is an expression made of constants and terms with a positive degree:

x
0
x
1
x
2
x
3
...
a0 a1 a2 a3 ...

1
None of the terms can have negative or fractional indices. (This includes √x, 3
,
x
etc.)

2
For example, 2
x + 2x + 1 is a polynomial x
2
+ + √x is not a polynomial
x

5. For each of the following, write a polynomial that meets all the given requirements.
The first one has been done for you.

a) Degree of 5 b) Degree of 2
3 terms 2 terms

No constants A constant of 7

5 3 2
x + 2x + x

c) Degree of 7 d) Degree of 2
5 terms 3 terms

All terms have a coefficient of 1 Only negative coefficients

e) Degree of 3 f) Degree of 5
2 terms 3 terms

One of them is a constant At least one fraction as a coefficient

g) Degree of 3 h) Degree of 308

4 terms 1 term

Two terms have negative coefficients Only positive coefficients

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 Polynomials

Answers
1. For each of the following, state the leading term and the degree of the expression.
The first two have been done for you.

a) 4x 3
+ 5x + 7 b) 12x
2
− x
4
− 3 c) 5x7
+ 2x
5
+ 4x

leading term: 4x 3
leading term: −x 4
leading term: 5x 7

degree: 3 degree: 4 degree: 7

5 2
4x 1 x
d) 2x 3
− 3x + e) −5x 2
− f) 1 + − 27x
4

3 2 4

4x
5
leading term: −5x 2
leading term: −27x 4

leading term:
3
degree: 2 degree: 4
degree: 5

2. Copy and complete the sentences for each expression. The first one has been done for you.

a) 4x 3
+ 2x
2
− 3x + 7

The coefficient of the leading term is 4.

The coefficient of the term with degree 1 is −3.
The coefficient of the constant term is 7.

b) −x 7
+ x
4
+ 5x
2
+ 10x − 23

The coefficient of the leading term is −1.

The coefficient of the term with degree 2 is 5.
The coefficient of the constant term is −23.

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 Polynomials

3. Copy and complete the following table with the coefficients of each term in the expressions.

Expression x
0
x
1
x
2
x
3
x
4
x
5
x
6

5 3
x + 2x − 3x + 1 1 −3 0 2 0 1 0

6 2
2x − 4x + 2x 0 2 −4 0 0 0 2

−5 −5 0 0 0 0 0 0

5 4
5x − 3x + x + 7 7 1 0 0 −3 5 0

2
3x 0 0 3 0 0 0 0

6 4 3 2
4x + 2x − 10x + x + 6 6 0 1 −10 2 0 4

4. Write the expression that represents each of the following tables.

a) x
0
x
1
x
2
x
3
x
4
x
5
x
6
b) x
0
x
1 2
x x
3
x
4
x
5
x
6

−5 3 0 4 −1 0 0 4 −3 2 0 0 0 5

4 3 6 2
−x + 4x + 3x − 5 5x + 2x − 3x + 4

c) x
0
x
1 2
x x
3
x
4 5
x
6
x d) x
0
x
1 2
x x
3
x
4
x
5
x
6

3 2 −17 21 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 1

3 2 6
21x − 17x + 2x + 3 x + 3

e) x
0
x
1
x
2
x
3
x
4
x
5
x
6
f) x
0
x
1
x
2
x
3 4
x x
5
x
6

1 −27 0 0 3 0 0 −3 2 −1 12 0 −1 0

4 5 3 2
3x − 27x + 1 −x + 12x − x + 2x − 3

5. For each of the following, write a polynomial that meets all the given requirements.
The first one has been done for you.

a) Degree of 5 b) Degree of 2
3 terms 2 terms

No constants A constant of 7

x
5
+ 2x
3
+ x
2
Note: This is only one possible answer,
other answers may also be correct.
2
x + 7

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 Polynomials

c) Degree of 7 d) Degree of 2
5 terms 3 terms

All terms have a coefficient of 1 Only negative coefficients

Note: This is only one possible answer, Note: This is only one possible answer,
other answers may also be correct. other answers may also be correct.
7 5 3 2
x + x + x + x + 1 −x − x − 3

e) Degree of 3 f) Degree of 5
2 terms 3 terms

One of them is a constant At least one fraction as a coefficient

Note: This is only one possible answer, Note: This is only one possible answer,
other answers may also be correct. other answers may also be correct.
3 5
x + 1 x
+ 2x + 3
2

g) Degree of 3 h) Degree of 308

4 terms 1 term

Two terms have negative coefficients Only positive coefficients

Note: This is only one possible answer, Note: This is only one possible answer,
other answers may also be correct. other answers may also be correct.
3 2 308
x + 2x − x − 5 x

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