1. Warm Up(On Whole Sheet of Paper)
Evaluate each expression for the given value of x.
1. 2x + 3; x = x2 + 4; x = –3
3. –4x – 2; x = –1 4. 7x2 + 2; x = 3
Identify the coefficient in each term.
5. 4x y3
7. 2n –54 7 13 2 65 4 1 2 –5

2. 7-5
Polynomials
Holt Algebra 1

3. A monomial is a number, a variable, or a product of numbers and variables with whole-number exponents.
The degree of a monomial is the sum of the exponents of the variables. A constant has degree 0.

4. Example 1: Finding the Degree of a Monomial
Find the degree of each monomial. A.
4p4q3
The degree is 7.
Add the exponents of the variables: = 7.
B. 7ed
The degree is 2.
Add the exponents of the variables: 1+ 1 = 2.
C. 3
The degree is 0.
Add the exponents of the variables: 0 = 0.

5. A polynomial is a monomial or a sum or difference of monomials.
The degree of a polynomial is the degree of the term with the greatest degree.

6. Example 2: Finding the Degree of a Polynomial
Find the degree of each polynomial.
A. 11x7 + 3x3
11x7: degree 7 3x3: degree 3
Find the degree of each term.
The degree of the polynomial is the greatest degree, 7. B.
:degree 3
:degree 4
–5: degree 0
Find the degree of each term.
The degree of the polynomial is the greatest degree, 4.

7. Check It Out! Example 2
Find the degree of each polynomial.
a. 5x – 6
5x: degree 1
–6: degree 0
Find the degree of each term.
The degree of the polynomial is the greatest degree, 1.
b. x3y2 + x2y3 – x4 + 2
Find the degree of each term.
x3y2: degree 5
x2y3: degree 5
–x4: degree 4
2: degree 0
The degree of the polynomial is the greatest degree, 5.

8. The standard form of a polynomial that contains one variable is written with the terms in order from greatest degree to least degree.
When written in standard form, the coefficient of the first term is called the leading coefficient.

9. Example 3A: Writing Polynomials in Standard Form
Write the polynomial in standard form. Then give the leading coefficient.
6x – 7x5 + 4x2 + 9
Find the degree of each term. Then arrange them in descending order:
6x – 7x5 + 4x2 + 9
–7x5 + 4x2 + 6x + 9
Degree 1 5 2
–7x5 + 4x2 + 6x + 9.
The standard form is
The leading
coefficient is –7.

10. Example 3B: Writing Polynomials in Standard Form
Write the polynomial in standard form. Then give the leading coefficient.
y2 + y6 − 3y
Find the degree of each term. Then arrange them in descending order:
y2 + y6 – 3y
y6 + y2 – 3y
Degree 2 6 1
The standard form is
The leading
coefficient is 1.
y6 + y2 – 3y.

11. Some polynomials have special names based on their degree and the number of terms they have.
Monomial
Binomial
Trinomial
Polynomial
4 or more 1 2 3 1 2
Constant
Linear
Quadratic 3 4 5
6 or more
6th,7th,degree and so on
Cubic
Quartic
Quintic

12. Example 4: Classifying Polynomials
Classify each polynomial according to its degree and number of terms.
A. 5n3 + 4n
5n3 + 4n is a cubic binomial.
Degree 3 Terms 2
B. 4y6 – 5y3 + 2y – 9
4y6 – 5y3 + 2y – 9 is a
6th-degree polynomial.
Degree 6 Terms 4
C. –2x
–2x is a linear monomial.
Degree 1 Terms 1

13. Example 5: Application
A tourist accidentally drops her lip balm off the Golden Gate Bridge. The bridge is 220 feet from the water of the bay. The height of the lip balm is given by the polynomial –16t , where t is time in seconds. How far above the water will the lip balm be after 3 seconds?
Substitute the time for t to find the lip balm’s height.
–16t
–16(3)
The time is 3 seconds.
–16(9) + 200
Evaluate the polynomial by using the order of operations. – 76

14. Lesson Quiz: Part I
Find the degree of each polynomial.
1. 7a3b2 – 2a4 + 4b – 15
2. 25x2 – 3x4
Write each polynomial in standard form. Then give the leading coefficient.
3. 24g g5 – g2
4. 14 – x4 + 3x2 5 4
7g5 + 24g3 – g2 + 10; 7
–x4 + 3x2 + 14; –1

15. Lesson Quiz: Part II
Classify each polynomial according to its degree and number of terms.
5. 18x2 – 12x + 5
quadratic trinomial
6. 2x4 – 1
quartic binomial
7. The polynomial 3.675v v2 is used to estimate the stopping distance in feet for a car whose speed is y miles per hour on flat dry pavement. What is the stopping distance for a car traveling at 70 miles per hour? ft