i.e. who discover it, and information supporting the fact
in Word Problem Answers by

Your answer

Your name to display (optional):
Privacy: Your email address will only be used for sending these notifications.
Anti-spam verification:
To avoid this verification in future, please log in or register.

1 Answer

A polynomial simply means many (poly-) terms (nom-) and is just a made-up word for a description of a sum of terms that are individually expressed as a variable (unknown) usually with a positive whole number exponent and a multiplying constant. So when such terms are strung together in a sum, mathematicians called the sum a polynomial.

The simplest polynomial is ax+b because we have an unknown x and constants (numbers) a and b. Such a simple algebraic sum isn't usually called a polynomial because the word is normally reserved for greater powers or exponents of the unknown variable.

So the word polynomial was invented as a name to cover all such algebraic sums. Just as the word elephant is used to describe the animal without going into a long description involving size, colour and long nose or trunk. The elephant existed before anyone invented a word for it. The same is true for polynomials.

As for when polynomials (as we call them) were first introduced as a mathematical concept, well the date is probably around 300BC, but at that time the word polynomial hadn't been invented even though a descriptive word could have been used. But it seems the ancient Egyptians and Babylonians were solving linear and quadratic equations (which are polynomials) without "knowing" they were working with polynomials. They just called them something else in their own language. Polynomials date back to a time not long after algebra was introduced as a technique for representing unknown quantities. The word algebra is likely to have been derived from the Arabic word al-jabru, meaning restoration and balancing, the process of solving an equation.

by Top Rated User (1.1m points)

Related questions

1 answer
1 answer
asked Dec 5, 2011 in Algebra 2 Answers by anonymous | 755 views
2 answers
1 answer
1 answer
asked Jan 7, 2015 in Algebra 2 Answers by anonymous | 1.2k views
1 answer
Welcome to MathHomeworkAnswers.org, where students, teachers and math enthusiasts can ask and answer any math question. Get help and answers to any math problem including algebra, trigonometry, geometry, calculus, trigonometry, fractions, solving expression, simplifying expressions and more. Get answers to math questions. Help is always 100% free!

Most popular tags

algebra problems solving equations word problems calculating percentages math problem geometry problems calculus problems math fraction problems trigonometry problems rounding numbers simplifying expressions solve for x order of operations probability algebra pre algebra problems word problem evaluate the expression slope intercept form statistics problems factoring polynomials solving inequalities 6th grade math how to find y intercept equation of a line sequences and series algebra 2 problems logarithmic equations solving systems of equations by substitution dividing fractions greatest common factor square roots geometric shapes graphing linear equations long division solving systems of equations least to greatest dividing decimals substitution method proving trigonometric identities least common multiple factoring polynomials ratio and proportion trig identity precalculus problems standard form of an equation solving equations with fractions http: mathhomeworkanswers.org ask# function of x calculus slope of a line through 2 points algebraic expressions solving equations with variables on both sides college algebra domain of a function solving systems of equations by elimination differential equation algebra word problems distributive property solving quadratic equations perimeter of a rectangle trinomial factoring factors of a number fraction word problems slope of a line limit of a function greater than or less than geometry division fractions how to find x intercept differentiation exponents 8th grade math simplifying fractions geometry 10th grade equivalent fractions inverse function area of a triangle elimination method story problems standard deviation integral ratios simplify systems of equations containing three variables width of a rectangle percentages area of a circle circumference of a circle place value solving triangles parallel lines mathematical proofs solving linear equations 5th grade math mixed numbers to improper fractions scientific notation problems quadratic functions number of sides of a polygon length of a rectangle statistics zeros of a function prime factorization percents algebra 1 evaluating functions derivative of a function equation area of a rectangle lowest common denominator solving systems of equations by graphing integers algebra 2 diameter of a circle dividing polynomials vertex of a parabola calculus problem perpendicular lines combining like terms complex numbers geometry word problems converting fractions to decimals finding the nth term range of a function 4th grade math greatest to least ordered pairs functions radius of a circle least common denominator slope unit conversion solve for y calculators solving radical equations calculate distance between two points area word problems equation of a tangent line multiplying fractions chemistry binomial expansion place values absolute value round to the nearest tenth common denominator sets set builder notation please help me to answer this step by step significant figures simplifying radicals arithmetic sequences median age problem trigonometry graphing derivatives number patterns adding fractions radicals midpoint of a line roots of polynomials product of two consecutive numbers limits decimals compound interest please help pre-algebra problems divisibility rules graphing functions subtracting fractions angles numbers discrete mathematics volume of a cylinder simultaneous equations integration probability of an event comparing decimals factor by grouping vectors percentage expanded forms rational irrational numbers improper fractions to mixed numbers algebra1 matrices logarithms how to complete the square mean statistics problem analytic geometry geometry problem rounding decimals 5th grade math problems solving equations with variables solving quadratic equations by completing the square simplifying trigonometric equation using identities
87,441 questions
99,039 answers
2,422 comments
16,939 users