Skip to ContentGo to accessibility pageKeyboard shortcuts menu
OpenStax Logo
Intermediate Algebra

Key Terms

Intermediate AlgebraKey Terms
Search for key terms or text.

Key Terms

binomial
A binomial is a polynomial with exactly two terms.
conjugate pair
A conjugate pair is two binomials of the form (a−b),(a+b).(a−b),(a+b). The pair of binomials each have the same first term and the same last term, but one binomial is a sum and the other is a difference.
degree of a constant
The degree of any constant is 0.
degree of a polynomial
The degree of a polynomial is the highest degree of all its terms.
degree of a term
The degree of a term is the sum of the exponents of its variables.
monomial
A monomial is an algebraic expression with one term. A monomial in one variable is a term of the form axm,axm, where a is a constant and m is a whole number.
polynomial
A monomial or two or more monomials combined by addition or subtraction is a polynomial.
polynomial function
A polynomial function is a function whose range values are defined by a polynomial.
Power Property
According to the Power Property, a to the m to the n equals a to the m times n.
Product Property
According to the Product Property, a to the m times a to the n equals a to the m plus n.
Product to a Power
According to the Product to a Power Property, a times b in parentheses to the m equals a to the m times b to the m.
Properties of Negative Exponents
According to the Properties of Negative Exponents, a to the negative n equals 1 divided by a to the n and 1 divided by a to the negative n equals a to the n.
Quotient Property
According to the Quotient Property, a to the m divided by a to the n equals a to the m minus n as long as a is not zero.
Quotient to a Negative Exponent
Raising a quotient to a negative exponent occurs when a divided by b in parentheses to the power of negative n equals b divided by a in parentheses to the power of n.
Quotient to a Power Property
According to the Quotient to a Power Property, a divided by b in parentheses to the power of m is equal to a to the m divided by b to the m as long as b is not zero.
standard form of a polynomial
A polynomial is in standard form when the terms of a polynomial are written in descending order of degrees.
trinomial
A trinomial is a polynomial with exactly three terms.
Zero Exponent Property
According to the Zero Exponent Property, a to the zero is 1 as long as a is not zero.
PreviousNext
Order a print copy
Citation/Attribution

This book may not be used in the training of large language models or otherwise be ingested into large language models or generative AI offerings without OpenStax's permission.

Want to cite, share, or modify this book? This book uses the Creative Commons Attribution License and you must attribute OpenStax.

Attribution information
  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a print format, then you must include on every physical page the following attribution:
    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/intermediate-algebra/pages/1-introduction
  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a digital format, then you must include on every digital page view the following attribution:
    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/intermediate-algebra/pages/1-introduction
Citation information

© Feb 9, 2022 OpenStax. Textbook content produced by OpenStax is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License . The OpenStax name, OpenStax logo, OpenStax book covers, OpenStax CNX name, and OpenStax CNX logo are not subject to the Creative Commons license and may not be reproduced without the prior and express written consent of Rice University.