MTH 219 Week 2 Introductory & Intermediate Algebra for College Students, Ch. 5, Sections 5.1-5.2 & 5.5: Exponents and Polynomials

In Week 1 you learned about linear equations and inequalities with one variable like x or y.  You learned how to solve those equations and check your answer. This week in Ch. 5 you learn about polynomials. This chapter explains how to add, subtract, multiply and divide polynomials. Take a deep breathe! Operating with polynomials can be difficult for some students, but there are a lot of resources to help you along the way.

• View one of the following Week 2 Videos:

  • Patrick Just Math Tutorials: “Polynomials: Adding, Subtracting, Multiplying, and Simplifying“
  • Khan Academy’s “Dividing Polynomials with Remainders: Monomial Divisors“

Why can we only combine like terms? What might be the result of combining terms that are not alike? Provide an example in your explanation.