Exploring Adding and Subtracting Polynomials

What is a monomial?

• A quotient of numbers and variables

• A sum of numbers and variables

• A product of numbers and variables with whole number exponents

• A difference of numbers and variables

What is the degree of a constant term?

• 2

• 1

• 0

• Depends on the variable

What do you call a polynomial with three terms?

• Trinomial

• Quadrinomial

• Monomial

• Binomial

How do you determine the degree of a polynomial?

• By the number of terms

• By the number of variables

• By the sum of all coefficients

• By the degree of the term with the greatest degree

What is the leading coefficient of a polynomial?

• The coefficient of the term with the smallest degree

• The sum of all coefficients

• The constant term

• The coefficient of the term with the greatest degree

How do you write a polynomial in standard form?

• Order terms from least to greatest degree

• Order terms alphabetically

• Order terms from greatest to least degree

• Order terms by the number of variables

What is the first step in adding polynomials?

• Subtract the coefficients

• Combine all terms

• Rewrite them in standard form if they are not

• Distribute the coefficients

When adding polynomials, why might you line up the expressions vertically?

• To make it easier to distribute

• To ensure like terms are combined correctly

• To find the degree of the polynomial

• To simplify the coefficients

What should you do before subtracting polynomials?

• Add the coefficients

• Distribute a negative sign to the second polynomial

• Rewrite the polynomials in alphabetical order

• Combine all terms

How do you handle the second polynomial when subtracting?

• Combine all terms

• Ignore the second polynomial

• Change the sign of each term

• Add the coefficients