The Sum and Difference of Polynomials

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 130 views

Understanding Polynomial Degrees

In mathematics, a polynomial is an expression consisting of variables and coefficients combined using only addition, subtraction, and multiplication. The degree of a polynomial is the highest power or exponent of the variable in the polynomial. For example, in the polynomial $3x^5y - 2x^3y^4 - 7xy^3$ , the highest power of the variable is 5, so the degree of this polynomial is 5.

The Sum and Difference of Polynomials

When we add or subtract polynomials, we combine like terms, which are terms with the same variable and exponent. The degree of the sum or difference of two polynomials is determined by the highest degree term in either polynomial.

The Problem

We are given two polynomials:

$3x^5y - 2x^3y^4 - 7xy^3$

$-8x^5y + 2x^3y^4 + xy^3$

We need to find the degree of the sum and difference of these two polynomials.

Finding the Sum

To find the sum of the two polynomials, we combine like terms:

$(3x^5y - 8x^5y) + (-2x^3y^4 + 2x^3y^4) + (-7xy^3 + xy^3)$

$= -5x^5y + 0x^3y^4 - 6xy^3$

The highest power of the variable in the sum is 5, so the degree of the sum is 5.

Finding the Difference

To find the difference of the two polynomials, we subtract the second polynomial from the first:

$(3x^5y - 2x^3y^4 - 7xy^3) - (-8x^5y + 2x^3y^4 + xy^3)$

$= 3x^5y - 2x^3y^4 - 7xy^3 + 8x^5y - 2x^3y^4 - xy^3$

$= 11x^5y - 4x^3y^4 - 8xy^3$

The highest power of the variable in the difference is 5, so the degree of the difference is 5.

Conclusion

Based on our calculations, we can conclude that:

The degree of the sum of the two polynomials is 5.
The degree of the difference of the two polynomials is 5.

Therefore, the correct answer is:

A. Both the sum and difference have a degree of 6. is incorrect.

B. Both the sum and difference have a degree of 7. is incorrect.

C. Both the sum and difference have a degree of 5. is correct.

Final Answer

Q: What is the degree of a polynomial?

A: The degree of a polynomial is the highest power or exponent of the variable in the polynomial. For example, in the polynomial $3x^5y - 2x^3y^4 - 7xy^3$ , the highest power of the variable is 5, so the degree of this polynomial is 5.

Q: How do I find the degree of a polynomial?

A: To find the degree of a polynomial, you need to identify the term with the highest power of the variable. You can do this by looking at each term in the polynomial and identifying the exponent of the variable. The term with the highest exponent is the one that determines the degree of the polynomial.

Q: What is the difference between the degree of a polynomial and the degree of a term?

A: The degree of a polynomial is the highest power of the variable in the polynomial, while the degree of a term is the power of the variable in that specific term. For example, in the polynomial $3x^5y - 2x^3y^4 - 7xy^3$ , the degree of the term $3x^5y$ is 5, but the degree of the polynomial is also 5 because it is the highest power of the variable in the polynomial.

Q: Can a polynomial have multiple variables?

A: Yes, a polynomial can have multiple variables. For example, the polynomial $3x^2y^3 - 2x^3y^2 + 7xy$ has two variables, x and y. When a polynomial has multiple variables, the degree of the polynomial is determined by the highest power of any of the variables.

Q: How do I add or subtract polynomials?

A: To add or subtract polynomials, you need to combine like terms. Like terms are terms that have the same variable and exponent. For example, in the polynomials $3x^2y - 2x^2y + 7xy$ and $-8x^2y + 2x^2y + xy$ , the like terms are $3x^2y$ and $-2x^2y$ , and $-8x^2y$ and $2x^2y$ . When you add or subtract like terms, you combine them by adding or subtracting their coefficients.

Q: What is the degree of the sum or difference of two polynomials?

A: The degree of the sum or difference of two polynomials is determined by the highest degree term in either polynomial. For example, in the polynomials $3x^5y - 2x^3y^4 - 7xy^3$ and $-8x^5y + 2x^3y^4 + xy^3$ , the highest degree term is $11x^5y$ , so the degree of the sum is 5.

Q: Can a polynomial have a negative degree?

A: No, a polynomial cannot have a negative degree. The degree of a polynomial is always a non-negative integer.

Q: How do I determine the degree of a polynomial with a variable in the denominator?

A: To determine the degree of a polynomial with a variable in the denominator, you need to multiply the numerator and denominator by the reciprocal of the variable. For example, in the polynomial $\frac{3x^2y}{x}$ , you can multiply the numerator and denominator by x to get $3x^3y$ . The degree of this polynomial is 3.

Q: What is the degree of a polynomial with a variable in the exponent?

A: To determine the degree of a polynomial with a variable in the exponent, you need to identify the highest power of the variable in the exponent. For example, in the polynomial $3x^{2y}$ , the highest power of the variable is 2y, so the degree of this polynomial is 2y.

Q: Can a polynomial have a degree of zero?

A: Yes, a polynomial can have a degree of zero. A polynomial with a degree of zero is a constant polynomial, which is a polynomial with no variable. For example, the polynomial 3 is a constant polynomial with a degree of zero.