Polynomials

NCERT Revision Notes for Chapter 2 Polynomials Class 10 Maths

CBSE NCERT Revision Notes

1

Polynomials: Introduction

Answer

Polynomials: An expression of the form p(x) = a0 + a1x + a2x2 + .... + anxn where an ≠ 0 is called a polynomial in variable x of degree n. where; a0, a2 .... an are real numbers and each power of x is a non negative integer.Example: 3x+ 5x + 3 is a polynomial of degree two which is non negative integer.

√x + 5 is not a polynomial because degree of x is not a non negative integer.


Algebraic Expressions Not Polynomials: 

2/x +3 → Power of x is -1

 √x-5 → Power of x is 1/2

2

 Degree of Polynomial 

Answer

The Maximum value of power of variable is called degree of Polynomial.

2x3-2x2 +4x-1: The variable with highest power of variable is x3 , so power of variable x is here 3, degree of this polynomial is 3.

Types of Polynomials based on Degree 

• Polynomials of degrees 1, 2 and 3 are called linear, quadratic and cubic polynomials respectively.

3

Types of Polynomials 

Answer

Polynomials of degrees 1, 2 and 3 are called linear, quadratic and cubic polynomials respectively.Liner Polynomials: Polynomials with degree 1

 ax + b is polynomial of degree 1 called linear polynomial.

Quadratic Polynomials: Polynomials with degree 2

 ax+ bx + c is  a polynomial of degree 2 called quadratic polynomial.

Cubic Polynomials: 

(iii) ax+ bx+ cx + d is  a polynomial of degree 3 cubic polynomial.

Constant polynomials: A polynomial of degree zero is constant polynomial. Or, A polynomial which contains only constant term is called constant or degree zero polynomial. 

Example: 5,  ax+ 3 = ax+3

Zero Polynomial: 0 is the zero polynomial.

4

Zero of a polynomial

Answer

A real number k is said to be zero of a polynomial p(x) , if p(k) = 0.

Example: -3/2 is called zero of a polynomial p(x) = 2x + 3 because p(-3/2) = 2x + 3.

(i) A linear polynomial has at most one zero.

(ii) A Quadratic polynomial has at most two zeroes.

(iii) A Cubic polynomial has at most three zeroes.

(iv) A polynomial of degree n has at most n zeroes.

5

Relationship between Zeros and Coefficients of polynomials

Answer

• For quadratic polynomial: If α,β are zeroes of polynomial p(x) = ax+ bx + c then:

(i) Sum of zeroes = α + β = -b/a = (-coefficient of x)/(coefficient of x2)

(ii) Product of zeroes = α.β = c/a = (constant term)/(coefficient of x2)

(iii) A quadratic polynomial whose zeroes are α and β, is given by:

p(x) = k[x2 - (α+β)x + αβ] where k is any real number.


• For cubic polynomial: If α,β and γ are zeroes of polynomial p(x) = ax+ bx+ cx + d then:

(i) α + β + γ = -b/a = (-coefficient of x2)/(coefficient of x3)

(ii) αβ + βγ γα = c/a = (constant term of x)/(coefficient of x3)

(iii) α.β.γ = -d/a = (-constant term)/(coefficient of x3)

(iv) A cubic polynomial whose zeroes are α, β and γ, is given by:

p(x) = k[x3 - (α+β+γ)x2 + (αβ+βγ+γα)x - αβγ] where k is any real number.

6

Division Algorithm

Answer

If p(x) and g(x) are any two polynomials where g(x) ≠ 0, then we can find polynomials q(x) and r(x) such that:

p(x) = g(x) × q(x) + r(x), where r(x) = 0 or degree r(x) < degree g(x).

7

Geometrical Meaning of Zeros of Polynomial

Answer

The graph of polynomial will cut X-axis as many times as number of zeros it is having. 

Quadratic Polynomials: Quadratic polynomial ax2 +bx+c having two zeros the curve will be as follows. 

If quadratic polynomial is having only 1 zero, The graph will cut X-axis at only one point. 

If quadratic polynomial is having no zeros, the graph will not cut X-axis. 

 

For Cubic polynomial, having three zeros will cut X-axis at 3 points.