Education Technology

Precalculus: End Behavior of Polynomial Functions

by Texas Instruments

Updated on September 06, 2024

Objectives

  • Students will recognize the similarities and differences among power and polynomial functions of various degrees.
  • Students will describe the effects of changes in the leading coefficient on the end behavior of graphs of power and polynomial functions.

Vocabulary

• degree of a polynomial
• end behavior
• leading coefficient
• polynomial function

About the Lesson

In this activity, students will examine several power and polynomial functions to determine their similarities and differences and characteristics of their end behavior.

*Note: This activity contains an optional AP Practice Questions document for those students preparing for the AP Precalculus Exam.