What is a polynomial with 4 terms?

1 Answer
Aug 1, 2015

You can say that it's a quadrinomial, but that just means it has #4# terms.

If those terms are in a single variable of highest degree #3#, then it's called a cubic.

Explanation:

#ax^3+bx^2+cx+d# is a quadrinomial and a cubic.

#ax^5+bx^2+cx+d# is quadrinomial but a quintic (the term of highest degree has degree #5#).

#ax^3+cx+d# is a cubic but not a quadrinomial.

#ax^3+bx^2+cx+d/x# is a quadrinomial but not a polynomial.