Key Equations

 perfect square trinomial ${\left(x+a\right)}^{2}=\left(x+a\right)\left(x+a\right)={x}^{2}+2ax+{a}^{2}$ difference of squares $\left(a+b\right)\left(a-b\right)={a}^{2}-{b}^{2}$

Key Concepts

• A polynomial is a sum of terms each consisting of a variable raised to a nonnegative integer power. The degree is the highest power of the variable that occurs in the polynomial. The leading term is the term containing the highest degree, and the leading coefficient is the coefficient of that term.
• We can add and subtract polynomials by combining like terms.
• To multiply polynomials, use the distributive property to multiply each term in the first polynomial by each term in the second. Then add the products.
• FOIL (First, Outer, Inner, Last) is a shortcut that can be used to multiply binomials.
• Perfect square trinomials and difference of squares are special products.
• Follow the same rules to work with polynomials containing several variables.

Glossary

binomial
a polynomial containing two terms
coefficient
any real number ${a}_{i}$ in a polynomial of the form ${a}_{n}{x}^{n}+\dots+{a}_{2}{x}^{2}+{a}_{1}x+{a}_{0}$
degree
the highest power of the variable that occurs in a polynomial
difference of squares
the binomial that results when a binomial is multiplied by a binomial with the same terms, but the opposite sign
the coefficient of the leading term
the term containing the highest degree
monomial
a polynomial containing one term
perfect square trinomial
the trinomial that results when a binomial is squared
polynomial
a sum of terms each consisting of a variable raised to a nonnegative integer power
term of a polynomial
any ${a}_{i}{x}^{i}$ of a polynomial of the form ${a}_{n}{x}^{n}+\dots+{a}_{2}{x}^{2}+{a}_{1}x+{a}_{0}$
trinomial
a polynomial containing three terms

Contribute!

Did you have an idea for improving this content? We’d love your input.