Trinomial
See It in Action
Two examples of the idea done right—and one common look-alike that is not right.
EXAMPLE
EXAMPLE
NON-EXAMPLE
Definition
A trinomial is a type of polynomial that contains exactly three terms. These terms are typically separated by plus (+) or minus (-) signs.
The general form of a trinomial is:
ax^m + by^n + cz^p
Here, a, b, and c are constants (coefficients), and x^m, y^n, and z^p are terms with variables raised to some power.
For example, x^2 + 3x + 2 and 4x^3 - 5x^2 + 7x are trinomials. The key characteristic is that there are exactly three terms in the expression.
The name "trinomial" comes from the Latin words "tri-" meaning "three" and "nomial" derived from "nomen", meaning "term". Thus, "trinomial" literally means "three terms".
This naming convention reflects the structure of the polynomial, which consists of exactly three distinct terms connected by plus or minus signs. The term "trinomial" was coined in algebra to describe expressions with exactly three terms.