Polynomials; Vectors, Matrices

Abstract

In the previous chapter the function

$$y = {\text{ 2}}{\mkern 1mu} \cdot{\mkern 1mu} {{\text{x}}^{\text{2}}} + {\text{3}}{\mkern 1mu} \cdot{\mkern 1mu} {\text{x}} - {\text{1}}$$

was considered a number of times. The above function represents a polynomial of the second degree. In general polynomials have the form

$$y = \sum\limits_{j = 0}^n {{a_{ji}} \cdot {x^j} = {a_0} + {a_1}x + {a_2}{x^2} + ... + {a_{n - 1}}{x^{n - 1}} + {a_n}{x^n}} $$

If the coefficient a_n differs from 0, then n is called the degree of the polynomial.