Terminologies in Algebra

• Algebraic Expression

  Contain ordinary numbers, variables, and operators
• Variable

  A letter or symbol that represents an unknown value
• Constant

  A fixed value or just normal numbers without any letter
• Coefficients

  The number next to the letter or the number that multiplies the variable in an algebraic expression
• Types of coefficients

  • Literal coefficients (variables that represent an unknown value)
  • Numerical coefficient (numbers)
• Terms

  A constant, a variable or a product of constant and variable. They are separated by a plus or minus sign.
• Like terms

  Terms that have the same variable which is raised to the same exponent or power
• Polynomial

  An expression consisting of variables and coefficients that involves only the operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and whole number exponents
• Types of Polynomial according to number of terms

  • Monomial (one term)
  • Binomial (two terms)
  • Trinomial (three terms)
  • Polynomial (many terms)
• Degree of a polynomial

  The sum of the exponents of the variables that appear in it
• Degrees of polynomial

  • Constant (no variable)
  • Linear (1st degree)
  • Quadratic (2nd degree)
  • Cubic (3rd degree)
  • Quartic (4th degree)
  • Quintic (5th degree)
  • nth degree
• Standard Form of a Polynomial

  The terms should be rearranged starting with the largest degree term and ending with the lowest degree term. The leading coefficient should be positive.
• Dealing with negative terms in a polynomial

  Multiply the polynomial by -1 using distributive property