Polynomials maths
Polynomials maths
combined with math operations like adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing. This chapter
explains different types of polynomials, such as linear (with one variable), quadratic (with a
squared variable), and cubic (with a cubed variable).
It also covers how to do math operations with polynomials, like adding and subtracting them.
Understanding polynomials is important because they are used in many math problems. These
notes make learning about polynomials easy with clear explanations and examples.
The notes show how to do basic math with polynomials, like adding, subtracting, multiplying,
and dividing them. With clear explanations and examples, this PDF makes learning about
polynomials fun and easy for students.
Polynomial Definition
Polynomials are math expressions with one or more terms that have numbers multiplied by
variables, like x or y. These expressions can have many terms, but each term has to have a
number with it. For example, 20 is a polynomial because it's just one number, and x + y is also a
polynomial because it's two terms added together.
Even if the terms have letters, like a, b, or x, they can still be polynomials as long as there's a
number with them. So, 7a + b + 8 is a polynomial because each term has a number with a letter.
Even longer expressions, like w + x + y + z, can be polynomials. And expressions with variables
raised to powers, like x^2 + x + 1, are also polynomials. As long as each term has a number and
a variable, it's a polynomial.
Coefficient
In a polynomial expression like 2𝑥+12x+1, each term consists of a coefficient multiplied by a
variable raised to a certain power. In this case, the term 2𝑥2x has a coefficient of 2, which is the
number multiplied by the variable 𝑥x. Similarly, the constant term 11 can be considered as
1𝑥01x0, where the coefficient of 𝑥0x0 (which is just 1) is also considered.
Types of Polynomial
Polynomials can be classified into different types based on various criteria, such as the number
of terms they have or the highest power of the variable in the expression. Here are some
common types of polynomials:
1. Monomial: A polynomial with only one term. For example, 2𝑥2x is a monomial because
it has only one term.
2. Binomial: A polynomial with two terms. For example, 5𝑥+25x+2 is a binomial because it
has two terms.
3. Trinomial: A polynomial with three terms. For example, 2𝑥+5𝑦−42x+5y−4 is a trinomial
because it has three terms.
Constant Polynomial
Real numbers can indeed be expressed as polynomials, even if they don't have any variables.
When a polynomial consists of just a constant term, such as 33, 66, or 77, it's called a constant
polynomial. Additionally, the constant polynomial 00 is referred to as the zero polynomial.
Furthermore, to be considered a polynomial, the exponents of the variables must be whole
numbers. For example, the expression 𝑥−2+5𝑥+2x−2+5x+2 cannot be classified as a polynomial
because the exponent of 𝑥x is −2−2, which is not a whole number. Therefore, while
𝑥−2+5𝑥+2x−2+5x+2 contains a variable 𝑥x, it does not meet the requirement of having whole
number exponents, so it is not considered a polynomial.
Degree of a Polynomial
The degree of a polynomial is determined by the highest power of the variable (or variables)
present in the polynomial expression.
For example:
● In the polynomial 3𝑥2+5𝑥−13x2+5x−1, the highest power of the variable 𝑥x is 22, so the
degree of the polynomial is 22.
● In the polynomial 2𝑦3−𝑦+42y3−y+4, the highest power of the variable 𝑦y is 33, so the
degree of the polynomial is 33.
● In the polynomial 4𝑥4𝑦2−3𝑥𝑦+74x4y2−3xy+7, the highest combined power of the
variables 𝑥x and 𝑦y is 66 (since 𝑥x has a power of 44 and 𝑦y has a power of 22), so the
degree of the polynomial is 66.
The degree of a polynomial helps classify it and understand its behavior when performing
mathematical operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. It's an important
concept in algebra and polynomial arithmetic.
Algebraic Identities
Algebraic identities are algebraic equations which are valid for all values. The important
algebraic identities used in Class 9 Maths chapter 2 polynomials are listed below:
Zeroes of Polynomial
The zeroes of a polynomial are the values of the variable that make the polynomial equal to
zero when substituted into it. In other words, if 𝑃(𝑥)P(x) is a polynomial, then any value 𝑎a for
which 𝑃(𝑎)=0P(a)=0 is considered a zero (or root) of the polynomial.
For example, consider the polynomial 𝑃(𝑥)=𝑥2−4P(x)=x2−4. To find its zeroes, we set 𝑃(𝑥)P(x)
equal to zero and solve for 𝑥x: 𝑥2−4=0x2−4=0
This equation can be factorized as (𝑥−2)(𝑥+2)=0(x−2)(x+2)=0. So, the zeroes of the polynomial
are 𝑥=2x=2 and 𝑥=−2x=−2.
In general, a polynomial of degree 𝑛n can have at most 𝑛n zeroes. These zeroes may be real or
complex numbers. The Fundamental Theorem of Algebra states that every polynomial equation
of degree 𝑛n has exactly 𝑛n complex roots (including repeated roots).
The zeroes of a polynomial are important in various mathematical contexts, such as solving
equations, graphing functions, and understanding the behavior of polynomial functions.
Remainder Theorem
The Remainder Theorem is a fundamental concept in algebra that relates to polynomial division.
It states that if a polynomial 𝑃(𝑥)P(x) is divided by a linear polynomial of the form 𝑥−𝑎x−a, then
the remainder is equal to 𝑃(𝑎)P(a), where 𝑎a is any real number.
In simpler terms, if you divide a polynomial by 𝑥−𝑎x−a, the remainder you get will be the value of
the polynomial evaluated at 𝑎a.
For example, let's say we have the polynomial 𝑃(𝑥)=𝑥2+3𝑥−4P(x)=x2+3x−4 and we want to
divide it by 𝑥−2x−2. According to the Remainder Theorem, the remainder will be 𝑃(2)P(2), which
means we substitute 𝑥=2x=2 into the polynomial 𝑃(𝑥)P(x). So,
𝑃(2)=(2)2+3(2)−4=4+6−4=6P(2)=(2)2+3(2)−4=4+6−4=6.
The Remainder Theorem is useful in various mathematical applications, including finding roots
of polynomials, evaluating polynomial functions, and proving divisibility properties.
Factorisation of Polynomials
Factorization of polynomials involves expressing a given polynomial as the product of two or
more simpler polynomials.
For example, consider the polynomial 𝑥2−𝑥−6x2−x−6. To factorize it, we look for two numbers
whose product is −6−6 and whose sum is −1−1, because the middle term of the polynomial is 𝑥x
and the constant term is −6−6. These numbers are −3−3 and 22, because (−3)×2=−6(−3)×2=−6
and (−3)+2=−1(−3)+2=−1. Therefore, we can express 𝑥2−𝑥−6x2−x−6 as (𝑥−3)(𝑥+2)(x−3)(x+2) by
using these factors.