Polynomial

The sum or difference of terms which have variables raised to positive integer powers and which have coefficients that may be real or complex.

The following are all polynomials: 5x³ – 2x² + x – 13, x²y³ + xy, and (1 + i)a² + ib².

Note: Even though the prefix poly- means many, we use the word polynomial to refer to polynomials with 1 term (monomials), 2 terms (binomials), 3 terms, (trinomials), etc.

Standard form for a polynomial in one variable:

a_nxⁿ + a_n–1x^n–1 + ··· + a₂x² + a₁x + a₀