Multiplying polynomials

Front

What is a polynomial?

Back

A polynomial is a mathematical expression that consists of variables, coefficients, and non-negative integer exponents, combined using addition, subtraction, and multiplication.

Front

What does it mean to multiply polynomials?

Back

Multiplying polynomials involves using the distributive property to multiply each term in one polynomial by each term in the other polynomial.

Front

What is the distributive property?

Back

The distributive property states that a(b + c) = ab + ac, meaning you can distribute a factor across a sum.

Front

Multiply: (x + 2)(x + 3)

Back

x^2 + 5x + 6

Front

Multiply: (a + b)(a - b)

Back

a^2 - b^2 (Difference of squares)

Front

What is the result of multiplying a binomial by a trinomial?

Back

The result is a polynomial with terms that are the products of each term in the binomial with each term in the trinomial.

Front

Multiply: (2x + 3)(x^2 + 4)

Back

2x^3 + 8x + 3x^2 + 12

Front

What is the FOIL method?

Back

FOIL stands for First, Outside, Inside, Last; a method for multiplying two binomials.

Front

Multiply: (x + 1)(x + 4) using FOIL

Back

x^2 + 5x + 4

Front

What is a degree of a polynomial?

Back

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