Polynomials in One Variable
Let us begin by recalling that a variable is denoted by a symbol that can take any real value. We use the letters x, y, z, etc. to denote variables. Notice that 2x, 3x, –x, are algebraic expressions. All these expressions are of the form (a constant) × x. Now suppose we want to write an expression which is (a constant) × (a variable) and we do not know what the constant is. In such cases, we write the constant as a, b, c,etc. So the expression will be ax, say.
However, there is a difference between a letter denoting a constant and a letter denoting a variable. The values of the constants remain the same throughout a particular situation, that is, the values of the constants do not change in a given problem, but the value of a variable can keep changing