polynomial

polynomial mathematical expression which is a finite sum, each term being a constant times a product of one or more variables raised to powers. With only one variable the general form of a polynomial is a₀xⁿ + a₁x^n-1 + a₂x^n-2 +…+ a_n-1x + an where n is a positive integer and a₀ , a₁ , a₂ , … , an are any numbers. An example of a polynomial in one variable is 11 x⁴ -3 x³ +7 x² + x -8. The degree of a polynomial in one variable is the highest power of the variable appearing with a nonzero coefficient; in the example given above, the degree is 4.

polynomial Sum of terms that are powers of a variable. For example, 8x⁴ − 4x³ + 7x² + x − 11 is a polynomial of the fourth degree (the highest power is four). In general a polynomial has the form a₀xⁿ + a₁x^n-l + a₂x^n-2 + ………. + a_n-2x² + a_n-1x + a_n, although certain powers of x and the constant term a_n may be missing. The values a_n, a_n-1, etc., are the coefficients of the polynomial.