Polynomial

There are several conditions that need to be met in order to determine whether a mathematical expression is a polynomial. First, polynomials consist of constants and variables. These constants and variables make separable parts of a polynomial called terms and polynomials are made up of a finite number of these terms. The terms are separated by the symbols of mathematical operations (+,-,*), which brings us to the second condition.

The only mathematical operations which can be used in polynomials are addition, subtraction and multiplication. Division, in which the variable is a part of the denominator, does not produce a polynomial. If the denominator is a constant, a polynomial can be produced.

The third condition and the defining characteristic of polynomials are powers (or exponents). We covered exponents in the article called Squares and square roots, so if you are not sure what they are, feel free to refresh your memory. Each term in a polynomial has to have its non-negative integer exponent. That means that the value of the exponent for each term can be any integer between (and including) zero and any other finite value.

Terms and polynomials have their degrees or orders. The order of a term is determined by the sum of the exponents in that term. The order of a polynomial is the largest one among the orders of the terms that make the polynomial. That means that, for example, polynomials of the fourth order would look somewhat like this:

a*x4 + b*x3 + c*x2 + d*x + e

Or, if they have two variables, like this:

A*x2*y2 + b*x*y + c

We can name polynomials according to their degrees (or orders).

Degree

Name

0

constant

1

linear

2

quadratic

3

cubic

4

quartic (biquadratic)

5

quintic

6

sextic (hexic)

7

septic (heptic)

8

octic

9

nonic

10

decic

100

hectic

 

These are the degrees which have special names. For others you can always use the standard nomenclature – eleventh degree, 57th order and such.

Another important thing to know is that polynomials can have any number of terms as long as the number of terms is finite, no matter what their order is. Depending on that number, we name them:

Number of non-zero terms

Name

0

zero polynomial

1

monomial

2

binomial

3

trinomial

 

All other polynomials are simply called – polynomials.

What is interesting about the zero polynomial is that its order is intentionally left explicitly undefined or is defined to be negative, usually with the values of -1 or negative infinity. Also, it is the only one with an infinite number of roots.

Polynomials have several basic properties, a few of which we are going to mention here. The first one is that the sum of polynomials is always a polynomial (levitra online). Also the product of polynomials is itself a polynomial. The same thing goes for the composition of two polynomials.

Simplifying a polynomial

Solving polynomials of the third order or greater requires some advanced mathematical knowledge and we will show you how to do it when the time comes. But for now we will stick to the simplification of polynomials.

There are a few things you should have in mind when simplifying polynomials. The most important thing to remember is that addition and subtraction can be performed only with terms that have the same variables and of the same order! That is a general rule in mathematics, but it is particularly observable in this case. Also, all rules about the order of operations apply.

If after all this polynomials remind you of equations – you are right. In fact, polynomials perform as any other equations and you can treat them as such. But the reason we are mentioning them separately from equations is that they are the gateway to more complex mathematics and it is of vital importance that you understand them and know how to deal with them properly.

If you wish to practice what you learned and try to simplify a polynomial or two, please feel free to use the math worksheets below.

Polynomial exams for teachers

Exam Name File Size Downloads Upload date
Single variable – Integers
Integer polynomials with a single variable – very easy 462.4 kB 4507 September 3, 2019
Integer polynomials with a single variable – easy 462.6 kB 2742 September 3, 2019
Integer polynomials with a single variable – medium 462.5 kB 3476 September 3, 2019
Integer polynomials with a single variable – hard 465.2 kB 2901 September 3, 2019
Integer polynomials with a single variable – very hard 470.8 kB 2789 September 3, 2019
Single variable – Decimals
Decimal polynomials with a single variable – very easy 461.9 kB 1839 September 3, 2019
Decimal polynomials with a single variable – easy 462.3 kB 1710 September 3, 2019
Decimal polynomials with a single variable – medium 461.9 kB 1691 September 3, 2019
Decimal polynomials with a single variable – hard 465.5 kB 1619 September 3, 2019
Decimal polynomials with a single variable – very hard 468.7 kB 1650 September 3, 2019
Single variable – Fractions
Polynomial fractions with a single variable – very easy 468.3 kB 1858 September 3, 2019
Polynomial fractions with a single variable – easy 466.9 kB 1945 September 3, 2019
Polynomial fractions with a single variable – medium 468.1 kB 1735 September 3, 2019
Polynomial fractions with a single variable – hard 473.7 kB 1957 September 3, 2019
Polynomial fractions with a single variable – very hard 481.4 kB 1987 September 3, 2019
Two variables – Integers
Integer polynomials with two variables – very easy 464.7 kB 2212 September 3, 2019
Integer polynomials with two variables – easy 464.6 kB 2053 September 3, 2019
Integer polynomials with two variables – medium 465 kB 2444 September 3, 2019
Integer polynomials with two variables – hard 469.3 kB 2067 September 3, 2019
Integer polynomials with two variables – very hard 474.1 kB 2187 September 3, 2019
Two variables – Decimals
Decimal polynomials with two variables – very easy 465 kB 1568 September 3, 2019
Decimal polynomials with two variables – easy 465.6 kB 1472 September 3, 2019
Decimal polynomials with two variables – medium 465 kB 1638 September 3, 2019
Decimal polynomials with two variables – hard 470.5 kB 1574 September 3, 2019
Decimal polynomials with two variables – very hard 475.9 kB 1637 September 3, 2019
Two variables – Fractions
Polynomial fractions with two variables – very easy 470.3 kB 1808 September 3, 2019
Polynomial fractions with two variables – easy 470.4 kB 1505 September 3, 2019
Polynomial fractions with two variables – medium 471.1 kB 1454 September 3, 2019
Polynomial fractions with two variables – hard 479.3 kB 1531 September 3, 2019
Polynomial fractions with two variables – very hard 487.3 kB 1637 September 3, 2019

Polynomial worksheets for students

Worksheet Name File Size Downloads Upload date
Single variable – Integers
Simplify 4 integer polynomials with a single variable 911.5 kB 3722 September 3, 2019
Simplify 5 integer polynomials with a single variable 996.2 kB 1995 September 3, 2019
Simplify 6 integer polynomials with a single variable 1 MB 1995 September 3, 2019
Simplify 7 integer polynomials with a single variable 1.2 MB 1769 September 3, 2019
Simplify 8 integer polynomials with a single variable 1.2 MB 1695 September 3, 2019
Simplify 9 integer polynomials with a single variable 1.3 MB 2673 September 3, 2019
Single variable – Decimals
Simplify 4 decimal polynomials with a single variable 927.6 kB 1923 September 3, 2019
Simplify 5 decimal polynomials with a single variable 1 MB 1787 September 3, 2019
Simplify 6 decimal polynomials with a single variable 747.7 kB 1425 September 3, 2019
Simplify 7 decimal polynomials with a single variable 1.2 MB 1879 September 3, 2019
Simplify 8 decimal polynomials with a single variable 1.3 MB 1477 September 3, 2019
Simplify 9 decimal polynomials with a single variable 1.3 MB 1699 September 3, 2019
Single variable – Fractions
Simplify 4 polynomial fractions with a single variable 4.2 MB 1769 September 3, 2019
Simplify 5 polynomial fractions with a single variable 11.7 MB 1467 September 3, 2019
Simplify 6 polynomial fractions with a single variable 1.3 MB 1524 September 3, 2019
Simplify 7 polynomial fractions with a single variable 2.7 MB 1517 September 3, 2019
Simplify 8 polynomial fractions with a single variable 1.9 MB 1887 September 3, 2019
Simplify 8 polynomial fractions with a single variable 2.1 MB 1592 September 3, 2019
Two variables – Integers
Simplify 4 integer polynomials with two variables 1 MB 4355 September 3, 2019
Simplify 5 integer polynomials with two variables 1.2 MB 2098 September 3, 2019
Simplify 6 integer polynomials with two variables 1.3 MB 2124 September 3, 2019
Simplify 7 integer polynomials with two variables 1.4 MB 1856 September 3, 2019
Simplify 8 integer polynomials with two variables 1.5 MB 2019 September 3, 2019
Simplify 9 integer polynomials with two variables 1.6 MB 2434 September 3, 2019
Two variables – Decimals
Simplify 4 decimal polynomials with two variables 1.1 MB 1576 September 3, 2019
Simplify 5 decimal polynomials with two variables 1.2 MB 1561 September 3, 2019
Simplify 6 decimal polynomials with two variables 1.4 MB 1549 September 3, 2019
Simplify 7 decimal polynomials with two variables 1.4 MB 1328 September 3, 2019
Simplify 8 decimal polynomials with two variables 1.5 MB 1466 September 3, 2019
Simplify 9 decimal polynomials with two variables 1.6 MB 1523 September 3, 2019
Two variables – Fractions
Simplify 4 polynomial fractions with two variables 10.1 MB 2011 September 3, 2019
Simplify 5 polynomial fractions with two variables 4.2 MB 1743 September 3, 2019
Simplify 6 polynomial fractions with two variables 1.3 MB 1511 September 3, 2019
Simplify 7 polynomial fractions with two variables 2 MB 1382 September 3, 2019
Simplify 8 polynomial fractions with two variables 2.2 MB 1693 September 3, 2019
Simplify 9 polynomial fractions with two variables 2.3 MB 1966 September 3, 2019