Learn polynomial terminology, degree, and classification. Grade 9 Alberta mathematics curriculum.
Lesson 5.1 of Polynomials in Grade 9 Math — Alberta curriculum lessons.
What Makes Each Polynomial Type Different?Polynomials can have one term or several terms.We name them based on how many terms they have.
Key Point. A term is a number, variable, or the product of both — separated by + or − signs.
A monomial has only one term.. ✅ Examples:3x7y²−4a³9Each example has a single term — no addition or subtraction signs.
A binomial has two terms joined by a plus (+) or minus (−) sign.. ✅ Examples:2x + 53y² − 4y−x³ + 2xEach one has exactly two separate parts (terms).
A trinomial has three terms.. ✅ Examples:x² + 3x + 24y³ − y + 1−2x² + 5x − 3Each term may have different exponents or coefficients — but they are all joined by + or −.
If an expression has four or more terms, we usually just call it a polynomial.. ✅ Examples:x³ + 2x² − 4x + 63y⁴ − 5y² + y − 7There's no special name beyond "polynomial" — we simply describe it by the number of terms.
💡 Quick Counting Method. You can quickly count the number of terms by counting how many + or − signs appear (each separates terms).
For example:. 4x³ + 3x² − x + 5has 4 terms, so it's a polynomial.
4x² + 2x + 7This is a polynomial because: It has three terms separated by + signs.; The exponents (2 and 1) are whole numbers.; There are no fractions or roots involving variables.
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