1. A monomial is a number, a variable, or a product of numbers and variables with whole-number exponents.
The degree of a monomial is the sum of the exponents of the variables. A constant has degree 0.

2. Example : Finding the Degree of a Monomial
Find the degree of each monomial. A.
4p4q3
The degree is 7.
Add the exponents of the variables: = 7.
B. 7ed
The degree is 2.
Add the exponents of the variables: 1+ 1 = 2.
C. 3
The degree is 0.
Add the exponents of the variables: 0 = 0.

3. A polynomial is a monomial or a sum or difference of monomials.
The degree of a polynomial is the degree of the term with the greatest degree.

4. Example : Finding the Degree of a Polynomial
Find the degree of each polynomial.
A. 11x7 + 3x3
11x7: degree 7 3x3: degree 3
Find the degree of each term.
The degree of the polynomial is the greatest degree, 7. B.
:degree 3
:degree 4
–5: degree 0
Find the degree of each term.
The degree of the polynomial is the greatest degree, 4.

5. Check It Out!
Find the degree of each polynomial.
a. 5x – 6
5x: degree 1
–6: degree 0
Find the degree of each term.
The degree of the polynomial is the greatest degree, 1.
b. x3y2 + x2y3 – x4 + 2
Find the degree of each term.
x3y2: degree 5
x2y3: degree 5
–x4: degree 4
2: degree 0
The degree of the polynomial is the greatest degree, 5.

6. The terms of a polynomial may be written in any order
The terms of a polynomial may be written in any order. However, polynomials that contain only one variable are usually written in standard form.
The standard form of a polynomial that contains one variable is written with the terms in order from greatest degree to least degree. When written in standard form, the coefficient of the first term is called the leading coefficient.

7. Example : Writing Polynomials in Standard Form
Write the polynomial in standard form. Then give the leading coefficient.
6x – 7x5 + 4x2 + 9
Find the degree of each term. Then arrange them in descending order:
6x – 7x5 + 4x2 + 9
–7x5 + 4x2 + 6x + 9
Degree 1 5 2
–7x5 + 4x2 + 6x + 9.
The standard form is
The leading
coefficient is –7.

8. Check It Out!
Write the polynomial in standard form. Then give the leading coefficient.
16 – 4x2 + x5 + 9x3
Find the degree of each term. Then arrange them in descending order:
16 – 4x2 + x5 + 9x3
x5 + 9x3 – 4x2 + 16
Degree 2 5 3
The standard form is
The leading
coefficient is 1.
x5 + 9x3 – 4x

9. Some polynomials have special names based on their degree and the number of terms they have.
Monomial
Binomial
Trinomial
Polynomial
4 or more 1 2 3 1 2
Constant
Linear
Quadratic 3 4 5
6 or more
6th,7th,degree and so on
Cubic
Quartic
Quintic

10. Example: Classifying Polynomials
Classify each polynomial according to its degree and number of terms.
A. 5n3 + 4n
5n3 + 4n is a cubic binomial.
Degree 3 Terms 2
B. 4y6 – 5y3 + 2y – 9
4y6 – 5y3 + 2y – 9 is a
6th-degree polynomial.
Degree 6 Terms 4
C. –2x
–2x is a linear monomial.
Degree 1 Terms 1

11. Check It Out!
Classify each polynomial according to its degree and number of terms.
a. x3 + x2 – x + 2
x3 + x2 – x + 2 is a cubic polymial.
Degree 3 Terms 4
b. 6
6 is a constant monomial.
Degree 0 Terms 1
–3y8 + 18y5 + 14y is an 8th-degree trinomial.
c. –3y8 + 18y5 + 14y
Degree 8 Terms 3

12. Just as you can perform operations on numbers, you can perform operations on polynomials. To add or subtract polynomials, combine like terms.

13. Example: Adding and Subtracting Monomials
Add or Subtract..
A. 12p3 + 11p2 + 8p3
Identify like terms.
12p3 + 11p2 + 8p3
Rearrange terms so that like terms are together.
12p3 + 8p3 + 11p2
20p3 + 11p2
Combine like terms.
B. 5x2 – 6 – 3x + 8
Identify like terms.
5x2 – 6 – 3x + 8
Rearrange terms so that like terms are together.
5x2 – 3x + 8 – 6
5x2 – 3x + 2
Combine like terms.

14. Like terms are constants or terms with the same variable(s) raised to the same power(s). To review combining like terms, see lesson 1-7.
Remember!

15. Check It Out!
Add or subtract.
a. 2x8 + 7y8 – x8 – y8
Identify like terms.
2x8 + 7y8 – x8 – y8
Rearrange terms so that like terms are together.
2x8 – x8 + 7y8 – y8
x8 + 6y8
Combine like terms.

16. Polynomials can be added in either vertical or horizontal form.
In vertical form, align the like terms and add:
In horizontal form, use the Associative and Commutative Properties to regroup and combine like terms.
5x2 + 4x + 1
+ 2x2 + 5x + 2
7x2 + 9x + 3
(5x2 + 4x + 1) + (2x2 + 5x + 2)
= (5x2 + 2x2 + 1) + (4x + 5x) + (1 + 2)
= 7x2 + 9x + 3

17. Example: Adding Polynomials
A. (4m2 + 5) + (m2 – m + 6)
(4m2 + 5) + (m2 – m + 6)
Identify like terms.
Group like terms together.
(4m2 + m2) + (–m) +(5 + 6)
5m2 – m + 11
Combine like terms.
B. (10xy + x) + (–3xy + y)
(10xy + x) + (–3xy + y)
Identify like terms.
Group like terms together.
(10xy – 3xy) + x + y
7xy + x + y
Combine like terms.

18. To subtract polynomials, remember that subtracting is the same as adding the opposite. To find the opposite of a polynomial, you must write the opposite of each term in the polynomial:
–(2x3 – 3x + 7)= –2x3 + 3x – 7

19. Example: Subtracting Polynomials
(7m4 – 2m2) – (5m4 – 5m2 + 8)
(7m4 – 2m2) + (–5m4 + 5m2 – 8)
Rewrite subtraction as addition of the opposite.
(7m4 – 2m2) + (–5m4 + 5m2 – 8)
Identify like terms.
Group like terms together.
(7m4 – 5m4) + (–2m2 + 5m2) – 8
2m4 + 3m2 – 8
Combine like terms.

20. Example: Subtracting Polynomials
(–10x2 – 3x + 7) – (x2 – 9)
(–10x2 – 3x + 7) + (–x2 + 9)
Rewrite subtraction as addition of the opposite.
Identify like terms.
(–10x2 – 3x + 7) + (–x2 + 9)
–10x2 – 3x + 7
–x2 + 0x + 9
Use the vertical method.
Write 0x as a placeholder.
–11x2 – 3x + 16
Combine like terms.

21. Check It Out! Subtract. (2x2 – 3x2 + 1) – (x2 + x + 1)
Rewrite subtraction as addition of the opposite.
(2x2 – 3x2 + 1) + (–x2 – x – 1)
(2x2 – 3x2 + 1) + (–x2 – x – 1)
Identify like terms.
Use the vertical method.
–x2 + 0x + 1
+ –x2 – x – 1
Write 0x as a placeholder.
–2x2 – x
Combine like terms.

22. Lesson Quiz: Part I
Find the degree of each polynomial.
1. 7a3b2 – 2a4 + 4b – 15
2. 25x2 – 3x4
Write each polynomial in standard form. Then give the leading coefficient.
3. 24g g5 – g2
4. 14 – x4 + 3x2 5 4
7g5 + 24g3 – g2 + 10; 7
–x4 + 3x2 + 14; –1

23. Lesson Quiz: Part II
Classify each polynomial according to its degree and number of terms.
5. 18x2 – 12x + 5
quadratic trinomial
6. 2x4 – 1
quartic binomial
Add or subtract.
7. 7m2 + 3m + 4m2
8. (r2 + s2) – (5r2 + 4s2)
9. (10pq + 3p) + (2pq – 5p + 6pq)
10. (14d2 + 1) + (6d2 – 2d - 8)
11m2 + 3m
(–4r2 – 3s2)
18pq – 2p
20d2 – 2d – 7

24. Lesson Quiz: Part III
Add or subtract.
11. 7m2 + 3m + 4m2
12. (r2 + s2) – (5r2 + 4s2)
13. (10pq + 3p) + (2pq – 5p + 6pq)
14. (14d2 + 1) + (6d2 – 2d - 8)
11m2 + 3m
(–4r2 – 3s2)
18pq – 2p
20d2 – 2d – 7
15. (2ab + 14b) – (–5ab + 4b)
7ab + 10b