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Polynomials
A polynomial
1
is an expression in mathematics that is made up of a finite weighted sum
(or finite arithmetic series
2
) of powers
3
of a variable (or variables). Polynomials play an
important role in mathematics since they form a class of expressions that are simple to
operate on and evaluate and they arise or can be used in a wide range of situations.
Most of the interest in polynomials is in polynomials of one variable or univariate
polynomials, which has the following general form:
+
1
1
+ . +
1
+
0
.
In the polynomial expression above, is the variable and the
+
1
1
+ . +
1
+
0
is
1
+ ( 1)
1
2
+ . +
1
and its indefinite integral is
+ 1
+1
+
+ . +
1
2
2
+
0
+ ,
where c is the integration constant.
Polynomials of two or more variables
A polynomial can be made up of more than one variable. A polynomial of two variables
is also called a bivariate polynomial. For example
2 +3 +4 ,
2
2 + 4 + 3
examples of bivariate polynomial.
The following expressions are examples polynomials of three variables or trivariate
polynomials. For example
3
+2
2
+ 2 3 + +2
is a trivariate polynomial.