Learning Competencies & Code:

 Illustrates polynomial functions

(M10AL-IIa-1)
 Understand, describe and interpret
the graphs of polynomial functions
A polynomial function is a function of the form:
𝑃 𝑥 = 𝑎𝑛 𝑥 𝑛 + 𝑎𝑛−1 𝑥 𝑛−1 + 𝑎𝑛−2 𝑥 𝑛−2 +…+𝑎1 𝑥 + 𝑎0 , 𝑎𝑛 ≠ 0
Where:
𝑛 is a non-negative integer

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𝑎0 , 𝑎1 , … . , 𝑎𝑛 are real numbers called
coefficients
𝑎𝑛 𝑥 𝑛 is the leading term
𝑎𝑛 is the leading coefficient
𝑎0 is the constant term
 Non-Polynomials:
 Variables has a negative exponent.
𝟑𝒙−𝟓
 The variable is in the denominator

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𝟐
𝒙
 The variable is inside the radical sign
𝟑𝒙
Polynomial functions can be linear, quadratic,
cubic, quartic, quintic functions. etc. based on the
degree. Study the given examples below:
Polynomial Functions Type Degree

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𝑦 =𝑥+2 Linear 1
𝑃 𝑥 = 3𝑥 2 − 6𝑥 + 5 Quadratic 2
𝑦 = 𝑥 3 − 4𝑥 2 + 𝑥 + 6 Cubic 3
𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 4 − 7𝑥 2 − 3 Quartic 4
 The terms of a polynomial may be written in any
order. However, if they are written in decreasing
powers of 𝑥, we say that the polynomial function is in
standard form.

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Examples
POLYNOMIAL FUNCTIONS STANDARD FORM
𝑃 𝑥 = 4 + 𝑥 3 + 2𝑥 + 3𝑥 5 𝑃 𝑥 = 3𝑥 5 + 𝑥 3 + 2𝑥 + 5
𝑃 𝑥 = 𝑥 + 3𝑥 3 − 3 − 𝑥 2 𝑃 𝑥 = 3𝑥 3 − 𝑥 2 + 𝑥 − 3
Example 1:
Polynomial Function: 𝑓 𝑥 = 3 − 11𝑥 + 5𝑥 2

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Standard Form: 𝑓 𝑥 = 5𝑥 2 − 11𝑥 + 3
2
𝑓 𝑥 = 5𝑥 − 11𝑥 + 3
leading term degree Constant term
leading coefficient TYPE: Quadratic
Example 2:
Polynomial Function:𝑃(𝑥) = (𝑥 + 4)(𝑥 + 1)(𝑥 − 1)
Standard Form: 𝑃 𝑥 = 𝑥 3 + 4𝑥 2 − 𝑥 − 4

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3 2
𝑃 𝑥 = 5𝑥 + 4𝑥 − 𝑥 − 4
Constant term
leading term degree
leading coefficient TYPE: Cubic
NOTE: the degree of a polynomial function
will determine the number of 𝑥-intercepts or
roots it can have
Example: 𝑃 𝑥 = 7𝑥 3 − 3𝑥 2 + 𝑥 4 − 𝑥 − 5

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Degree = 4
Therefore, this function has 4 𝒙-intercepts or roots.
Other than 𝑃(𝑥), a polynomial may also be denoted
by 𝑓(𝑥). Sometimes, a polynomial function is
represented by a set 𝑷 of ordered pairs (𝒙, 𝒚). Thus, a
polynomial function can be written in different ways

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like the following:
𝒇 𝒙 = 𝒂𝒏 𝒙𝒏 + 𝒂𝒏−𝟏 𝒙𝒏−𝟏 + 𝒂𝒏−𝟐 𝒙𝒏−𝟐 +…+𝒂𝟏 𝒙 + 𝒂𝟎 , 𝒂𝒏
𝒚 = 𝒂𝒏 𝒙𝒏 + 𝒂𝒏−𝟏 𝒙𝒏−𝟏 + 𝒂𝒏−𝟐 𝒙𝒏−𝟐 +…+𝒂𝟏 𝒙 + 𝒂𝟎 , 𝒂𝒏
Polynomial functions may also be written in a
factored form and as a product of irreducible
factors, that is, a factor that can no longer be
factored using coefficients that are real numbers.

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Here are some examples.
POLYNOMIAL FUNCTIONS FACTORED FORM
𝑦 = 𝑥 4 + 2𝑥 3 − 𝑥 2 + 14𝑥 − 56 𝒚 = (𝒙𝟐 + 𝟕)(𝒙 − 𝟐)(𝒙 + 𝟒)
𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 4 − 2𝑥 3 − 3𝑥 2 − 10𝑥 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝒙(𝒙 − 𝟓)(𝒙 + 𝟏)(𝒙 + 𝟐)
Properties Discussion Example
To find the 𝑥-intercept(s),
set 𝑦 = 0.
𝒙-Intercepts Use the factored form. 𝑦 = 𝑥 3 − 4𝑥 2 + 𝑥 + 6
(𝒙𝟎 , 𝟎)
 Factor completely.

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 Replace 𝒚 with 0. 𝑦 = 𝑥+1 𝑥−2 𝑥−3
 Equate each factor to 0 0= 𝑥+1 𝑥−2 𝑥−3
(zero) to determine 𝑥.
The 𝑥-intercepts are −𝟏, 𝟐 and
𝑥+1 =0 𝑥 = −1
𝟑. 𝑥−2 =0 𝑥=2
This means that the graph will 𝑥−3 =0 𝑥=3
pass through (−1 , 0), (2, 0), and
(3, 0).
Properties Discussion Example
𝒚-Intercepts To find the 𝑦 -
(𝟎, 𝒚𝟎 )
intercept, set 𝑥 = 0. 𝑦 = 𝑥 3 − 4𝑥 2 + 𝑥 + 6

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The 𝑦-intercept is 6.
𝑦 = (0)3 −4 0 2
+ (0) + 6
This means that the
𝒚=𝟔
graph will also pass
through (0, 6).
 Properties Discussion
Turning points are points
where a graph changes
Turning Points from increasing to
Example
𝑦 = 𝑥 3 − 4𝑥 2 + 𝑥 + 6
𝑑𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑒 = 3
𝒏𝒖𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒑𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒔 = 𝟐

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decreasing function
value or vice versa.

A polynomial function of
degree 𝒏 has at most
𝒏 − 𝟏 turning points on its
graph.
The number of times a given factor appears in
the factored form of the equation of a
polynomial is called the multiplicity.
Example:
𝑃 𝑥 = 𝑥−2 2 𝑥 + 3 𝑥+1 3

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Roots: 2 multiplicity of 2 Roots: -1 multiplicity of 3

Roots: -3 multiplicity of 1
Properties Discussion Example
If the multiplicity of
zero/root is odd, then the The graph
crosses the
graph crosses the 𝑥-axis.

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𝒙-axis at (−𝟏, 𝟎)

When do
For instance, in
cross at 𝑃 𝑥 = (𝑥 − 2) 𝑥 + 3 𝑥 + 1 3
𝒙-axis the factor 𝑥 + 1 occurs
thrice.
Roots: 2 multiplicity of 1
-3 multiplicity of 1
-1 multiplicity of 3
Properties Discussion Example
If the multiplicity of
zero/root is even, then the
graph is tangent to the 𝑥-

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axis.
When it is
tangent
Using the polynomial
to 𝒙-axis The graph is
function tangent to
𝑃 𝑥 = (𝑥 − 2) 𝑥 + 3 𝑥 + 1 2 𝒙-axis at (−𝟏, 𝟎)

the factor 𝑥 − 2 occurs

twice.
Properties Discussion Example

If the degree of the

(Interpretation polynomial is odd and

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of the graph) the leading coefficient is
Tail-end positive, then the graph
behaviour falls to the left and rises
to the right.
(𝑎𝑛 > 0 and 𝑛 is odd, where 𝑎𝑛
is the leading coefficient and
𝑛 is the degree of the
polynomial.) positive odd
𝒚= 𝟐𝒙𝟑 − 𝟕𝒙𝟐 − 𝟕𝒙 + 𝟏𝟐
Properties Discussion Example

If the degree of the

(Interpretation polynomial is odd and

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of the graph) the leading coefficient is
Tail-end negative, then the
behaviour graph rises to the left
and falls to the right.
(𝑎𝑛 < 0 and 𝑛 is odd, where 𝑎𝑛
is the leading coefficient and
𝑛 is the degree of the
polynomial.) negativeodd
𝒚 = −𝒙𝟓 + 𝟑𝒙𝟒 + 𝒙𝟑 − 𝟕𝒙𝟐 + 𝟒
Properties Discussion Example

If the degree of the

(Interpretation polynomial is even and

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of the graph) the leading coefficient is
Tail-end positive, then the graph
behaviour rises to the right and also
rises to the left. (𝑎𝑛 > 0 and
𝑛 is even, where 𝑎𝑛 is the
leading coefficient and 𝑛 is
the degree of the polynomial.)
positive 4even 2
𝑦 = 𝑥 − 7𝑥 + 6𝑥
Properties Discussion Example

If the degree of the

polynomial is even and
(Interpretation

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the leading coefficient is
of the graph)
negative, then the
Tail-end graph falls to the left
behaviour and also falls to the
right.( 𝑎𝑛 < 0 and 𝑛 is even,
where 𝑎𝑛 is the leading
coefficient and 𝑛 is the degree
negative
of the polynomial.) even3
𝑦 = −𝑥 + 2𝑥 +13𝑥 2 −14𝑥 − 24
4