Vocabulary

Monomial: monomio
Binomial: binomio
Polynomial: polinomio
Term: trmino
Coefficient: coeficiente
Degree: grado
Power: potencia
Dividend: dividendo
Divisor: divisor
Quotient: cocient
Remainder: resto
Algebraic expressions
lgebraic e!pressions can be many forms" for e!ample:
#
$ #
$ %
&
$ # & $ #
$
$
$ $ $

+
+ +
x
x x
y x
x
x x x x
term consists of products of numbers and letters" so y x x
$ $
% " # are terms'
T(e number multiplying t(e letters is t(e coefficient of t(e term'
: #
$
x an
$
x term wit( coefficient #
: $x
an ! term wit( coefficient )$
)&: a constant term )&
T(e degree of a monomial is t(e sum of t(e e!ponents of t(e variables' *uc( as: "
t(e degree would be +' ,or !y-." t(e degree would be /' Remember w(en you (ave an
variable wit(out an e!ponent" it is understood to be one & ' $.!.y.-. would (ave a degree
of +'
,unction notation
Many relations(ips are studied in mat(ematics" for e!ample x x y =
$
#
0!ample &: ,ind f1!2 3 x x
$
# for given values of !
! 3 4 f142 3 44 4 4 #
$
= x
$
&
= x
4
/
$
&
4
#
$
&
$
&
# 2
$
&
1
$
= + =

f
5iven t(at " $ 2 1
$
x x x f = find: f1+26 f1)426
2 & 1 26 # 1 6 2 1 + a f k f n f
5iven t(at g1!23 " &
#
+ x find g1726 g1/26

4
#
g
6 g1)$26 g1&26 g1)&26 g1a26 g1#82
&
Polynomials
polynomial in ! (as t(e form:
7 &
$
$
$
$
&
&
'''''''' a x a x a x a x a x a
n
n
n
n
n
n
+ + + + + +

w(ere all t(e coefficients" n n o
a a a a a
" & $ &
''''''" " " "
are constants an n is a positive
integer'
T(e degree 1or order2 of a polynomial is t(e (ig(est power of !
9ote: :f
7
n
a
n in t(e polynomial above" t(e polynomial is of degree n
polynomial of degree & is called linear6 a polynomial of degree $ is called quadratic"
a polynomial of degree # is called cubic" apolynomial of degree 4 is called quartic'
,or e!ample" & $ # 4
$ ;
+ + x x x is a polynomial in ! of degree ;' T(e polynomial (as
four terms' :t is e!pressed in descending powers of ! 1 (ig(est power of ! first2' :n
ascending powers of !" it would be written as
; $
4 # $ & x x x + + ' T(e
$
x term is
$
#x 6
t(e coefficient of t(e
$
x term is #'
Adding and substracting algebraic expresssions
<nly li8e terms 1t(ose wit( identical letters and powers2 can be added or substracted'
*o:
y x y x y x
$ $ $
4 ; # =
x x ; #
$
cannot be e!pressed as a single term" and
b ab b b a b b a b ab b b a ; $ = ; / $ $ #
$ $ $ $ $ $
+ + = + + +
Multiplication of algebraic expressions
>(en e!pressions in two brac8ets are multiplied" eac( term in t(e first brac8et must
multiply eac( term in t(e second brac8et'
0!ample: ( ) ( ) # / &$ # 4 + &$ # 4 & #
$ $
+ = + = + x x x x x x x
0!ercices: :f
#
$ # 2 1 x x x f + = and g1!2 3
# $
/ ; x x + " find eac( of t(e following:
a2 )$!f1!2 b2 f1!2?g1!2 c2 f1!2)g1!2 d2 f1!2g1!2
Important products:
( )
( )
( ) ( ) squares of Difference b a b a b a
b ab a b a
b ab a b a
$ $
$ $ $
$ $ $
$
$
= +
+ =
+ + = +
Division of polynomials
$
If you@re dividing a polynomial by somet(ing more complicated t(an Aust a simple
monomial" t(en you@ll need to use a met(od called Blong 1polynomial2 divisionB" and it
wor8s Aust li8e t(e long 1numerical2 division you did bac8 in elementary sc(ool" e!cept
t(at now you@re dividing wit( variables'
0!ample: Divide #!
4
);!
#
)%! ? ; #!
$
)!?&
#!
4
);!
#
)%! ?; #!
$
C! ? &
)#!
4
?!
#
)!
$
!
$
)$!)&
)%!
#
)!
$
)%!
%!
#
)$!
$
?$!
)#!
$
)4!?;
#!
$
)!?&
)/!?=
n important case in t(e division of polynomials is w(en t(e divisor is a binomial of t(e
type ! ) a" w(ere BaB is a whole number; for example (x - 1), (x + 2), etc.
s well as using t(e met(od outlined in t(e previous section" we can also use w(at is
8nown as Ruffini@s rule'
Ruffini's rule is basically used !en t!e polynomial being divided !as "ust one
letter #variable$ !ic! is x and t!e divisor is #x%a$&
T(e coefficients of t(e dividend and t(e value BaB are used to obtain t(e coefficients in
t(e answer and t(e remainder value 1bear in mind t(at t(e remainder will always be a
number2
"All the coefficients of the dividend should be ordered from the highest to
lowest degree and any 'missing' degrees should be represented by a 0."
You may now recognise how to fin the answer an remainer. !he proceure is as
follows"
- !he first coefficient of the i#ien is written below.
- !he coefficient written below is multiplie by $a$ an the result is written
unerneath the secon coefficient (if the i#isor is of the type (x-a) the sign of a
will be positi#e an if it is of the type (x+a) it will be negati#e).
- !he secon coefficient is ae to the pre#ious result.
- !he process is repeate until you ha#e wor%e through all the coefficients.
#
The numbers in the lower row are the coefficients found in the answer
(one degree lower than the dividend) except for the last number which is
the remainder.

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