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Tamil Nadu Board of Secondary EducationSSLC (English Medium) Class 9

Basic Concept of Polynomial and its Degree

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Topics

  • Introduction
  • Definition: Polynomial in One Variable
  • Definition: Degree
  • Definition: Polynomials of Two or More Variables
  • Real-Life Application
  • Key Points Summary
CISCE: Class 6

Introduction

Imagine you're building with mathematical blocks. Each block has three parts: a number (coefficient), a letter (variable), and a small number above it (exponent).

When you add or subtract such terms (with whole-number exponents), you get a polynomial.

CISCE: Class

Definition: Polynomial

A polynomial is an algebraic expression made up of terms in which the variables have non‑negative whole-number exponents.

CISCE: Class 6

Definition: Polynomial in One Variable

When an algebraic expression is made of only one variable, it is called a polynomial in one variable.

Examples of Polynomials in One Variable:

Polynomial Variable Why it’s a polynomial
3 + 5x − 7x2 x All exponents (0, 1, 2) are whole numbers
9y3 − 5y2 + 8 y All exponents (3, 2, 0) are whole numbers
z4 + z - 1 z All exponents (4, 1, 0) are whole numbers
CISCE: Class 6

Definition: Degree

The degree of a polynomial is simply the highest exponent (power) in the expression.

Example 1: 4x² - 3x⁵ + 8x⁶

  • Term 1: 4x² → exponent = 2
  • Term 2: -3x⁵ → exponent = 5
  • Term 3: 8x⁶ → exponent = 6
  • Degree = 6 (highest exponent)

Example 2: 25 - x⁴

  • Term 1: 25 → exponent = 0 (since 25 = 25x⁰)
  • Term 2: -x⁴ → exponent = 4
  • Degree = 4
CISCE: Class 6

Definition: Polynomials of Two or More Variables

A polynomial made of two or more variables is called a polynomial in two or more variables.

Examples of Polynomials in Two/More Variables:

  • Term 1: 3x → exponent sum: 1
  • Term 2: xy2 → exponent sum: 1 + 2 = 3
  • Term 3: −8yz → exponent sum: 1 + 1 = 2
    Degree = 3
CISCE: Class 6

Real-Life Application

Physics: Motion of Objects

In physics, polynomials are used to describe the motion of objects. For instance, the equation for an object’s position at any time can often be expressed as a polynomial.

  • Example:
    The equation s(t) = 4t2 + 3t + 2 describes the position of an object over time, where s(t) is the position and t is time.

  • Here, the degree of the polynomial is 2, indicating that the object is undergoing accelerated motion (i.e., its velocity is changing over time).

CISCE: Class 6

Key Points Summary

  • Polynomials are algebraic expressions with whole number exponents only.

  • Degree = highest exponent in the expression.

  • For multiple variables: add exponents in each term, take the highest sum.

  • Polynomials are everywhere: sports, business, technology, and science.

Test Yourself

Video Tutorials

We have provided more than 1 series of video tutorials for some topics to help you get a better understanding of the topic.

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Shaalaa.com | Polynomials in One Variable

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