Chapter 5 Polynomials
factored completely
polynomial is written as a product of unfactorable polynomials with integer coefficients
end behavior
the behavior of the graph of a function as x approaches positive infinity or negative infinity
leading coefficient
the coefficient in the term of a polynomial function that has the greatest exponent
quadratic form
the form au² + bu + c, where u is any expression in x
standard form of a polynomial function
the form of a polynomial function that has terms written in descending order of exponents from left to right
scientific notation
the representation of a number in the form c x 10^n where 1≤c<10 and n is an integer
local minimum
the smallest y-value within a specified interval
degree
the sum of the exponents of its variables
finite differences
when the x-values in a data set are equally spaced, the differences of consecutive y-values
constant
monomials that contain no variables
polynomial function
a function of the form... the exponents are all whole numbers, and the coefficients are all real numbers
synthetic division
a method that can be used to divide a polynomial by a binomial where the leading coefficient must be 1
polynomial long division
a method used to divide polynomials similar to the way you divide numbers
synthetic substitution
a method used to evaluate a polynomial function
polynomial
a monomial or a sum of monomials
factor by grouping
factor common monomials from pairs of terms, and then look for a common binomial factor
repeated solution
for the polynomial equation f(x) = 0, k is a...if and only if the factor x-k has an exponent greater than 1 when f(x) is factored completely
local maximum
largest y-value within a specified interval