1. 6-3 Polynomials Warm Up Lesson Presentation Lesson Quiz
Holt McDougal Algebra 1
Holt Algebra 1

2. Objectives
Classify polynomials and write polynomials in standard form.
Evaluate polynomial expressions.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. Check It Out! Example 1
Find the degree of each monomial. a.
1.5k2m
The degree is 3.
Add the exponents of the variables: = 3. b. 4x
The degree is 1.
Add the exponents of the variables: 1 = 1. c.
2c3
The degree is 3.
Add the exponents of the variables: 3 = 3.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. The terms of a polynomial may be written in any order
The terms of a polynomial may be written in any order. However, polynomials that contain only one variable are usually written in standard form.
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.

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. A variable written without a coefficient has a coefficient of 1.
Remember!
y5 = 1y5

13. Check It Out! Example 3a
Write the polynomial in standard form. Then give the leading coefficient.
16 – 4x2 + x5 + 9x3
Find the degree of each term. Then arrange them in descending order:
16 – 4x2 + x5 + 9x3
x5 + 9x3 – 4x2 + 16
Degree 2 5 3
The standard form is
The leading
coefficient is 1.
x5 + 9x3 – 4x

14. Check It Out! Example 3b
Write the polynomial in standard form. Then give the leading coefficient.
18y5 – 3y8 + 14y
Find the degree of each term. Then arrange them in descending order:
18y5 – 3y8 + 14y
–3y8 + 18y5 + 14y
Degree 5 8 1
The standard form is
The leading
coefficient is –3.
–3y8 + 18y5 + 14y.

15. 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

16. Check It Out! Example 4
Classify each polynomial according to its degree and number of terms.
a. x3 + x2 – x + 2
x3 + x2 – x + 2 is a cubic polynomial.
Degree 3 Terms 4
b. 6
6 is a constant monomial.
Degree 0 Terms 1
–3y8 + 18y5 + 14y is an 8th-degree trinomial.
c. –3y8 + 18y5 + 14y
Degree 8 Terms 3

17. 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) + 220
Evaluate the polynomial by using the order of operations. – 76

18. Example 5: Application Continued
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?
After 3 seconds the lip balm will be 76 feet from the water.

19. Check It Out! Example 5
What if…? Another firework with a 5-second fuse is launched from the same platform at a speed of 400 feet per second. Its height is given by –16t2 +400t + 6. How high will this firework be when it explodes?
Substitute the time t to find the firework’s height.
–16t t + 6
–16(5) (5) + 6
The time is 5 seconds.
–16(25) + 400(5) + 6
Evaluate the polynomial by using the order of operations. – –
1606

20. Check It Out! Example 5 Continued
What if…? Another firework with a 5-second fuse is launched from the same platform at a speed of 400 feet per second. Its height is given by –16t2 +400t + 6. How high will this firework be when it explodes?
When the firework explodes, it will be 1606 feet above the ground.

21. 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

22. 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 v miles per hour on flat dry pavement. What is the stopping distance for a car traveling at 70 miles per hour? ft