5-1 Polynomial Vocabulary
polynomial
a monomial or a sum or difference of monomials
coefficient
a number multiplied by a variable
monomial
a number, a variable, or a product of a number and one or more variables. The variables must have only whole number exponents.
standard form of a polynomial
a polynomial that is written with the terms in order from greatest degree to least degree.
linear
a polynomial with a degree of 1
quadratic
a polynomial with a degree of 2
cubic
a polynomial with a degree of 3
quartic
a polynomial with a degree of 4
quintic
a polynomial with a degree of 5
trinomial
a polynomial with three terms
binomial
a polynomial with two terms
constant
a term without a variable and has a degree of zero
end behavior
directions of the graph to the far left and to the far right (can also describe the far left and the far right as "as x approaches negative infinity and x approaches positive infinity"
turning points
places where the graph changes direction
degree of a polynomial
the greatest degree of any term in the polynomial
degree of a monomial
the sum of the exponents of the variables