Definition and Examples of Binomials in Algebra

Definition and Examples of Binomials in Algebra A polynomial equation with two terms usually joined by a plus or minus sign is called a binomial. Binomials are used in algebra. Polynomials  with one term will be called a monomial and could look like 7x. A polynomial with two terms is called a binomial; it could look like 3x 9. It is easy to remember binomials as bi means 2 and a binomial will have 2 terms. A classic example is the following:  3x 4 is a binomial and is also a polynomial,  Ã‚  2a(ab) 2  is also a binomial (a and b are the binomial factors). The above are both binomials. When multiplying binomials, youll come across a term called the FOIL method which is often just the method used to multiply binomials.   For instance,  to find the product of 2 binomials, youll add the products of the First  terms, the Outer terms, the Inner terms, and the Last terms. When youre asked to square a binomial, it simply means to multiply it by itself. The square of a binomial will be a trinomial. The product of two binomials will be a trinomial. Example of Multiplying Binomials (5 4x) x (3 2x)(5 4x)(3 2x) (5)(3) (5)(2x) (4x)(3) (4x)(2i) 15 10x 12x 8(x)2 15 22x 8(-1) 15 22x - 8 (15 - 8) 22x 7 22x Once you begin taking  algebra in school, youll be doing a great many computations that require binomials and polynomials.