Polynomial Graphs

Front

What is a polynomial function?

Back

A polynomial function is a mathematical expression involving a sum of powers in one or more variables multiplied by coefficients.

Front

What is the general form of a polynomial function of degree n?

Back

The general form is f(x) = a_n * x^n + a_(n-1) * x^(n-1) + ... + a_1 * x + a_0, where a_n ≠ 0.

Front

What does the degree of a polynomial indicate?

Back

The degree of a polynomial indicates the highest power of the variable in the polynomial.

Front

What is a leading coefficient?

Back

The leading coefficient is the coefficient of the term with the highest degree in a polynomial.

Front

How do you find the y-intercept of a polynomial function?

Back

The y-intercept is found by evaluating the function at x = 0.

Front

What are the zeros of a polynomial function?

Back

The zeros of a polynomial function are the values of x for which the function equals zero.

Front

What is the significance of the multiplicity of a zero?

Back

The multiplicity of a zero indicates how many times that zero is repeated as a root of the polynomial.

Front

What is the difference between even and odd degree polynomials?

Back

Even degree polynomials have a symmetric graph about the y-axis, while odd degree polynomials have a graph that is symmetric about the origin.

Front

How can you determine the end behavior of a polynomial function?

Back

The end behavior is determined by the leading term of the polynomial and its degree.

Front

What is the factored form of a polynomial?

Back

The factored form expresses the polynomial as a product of its linear factors.