Understanding monomials, binomials, and polynomials might sound confusing at first, but it’s actually pretty simple if we take it step by step.

1. Monomials: These are the most basic type of math expressions. A monomial has just one part. For example, $3x^2$, $-5$, and $7y$ are all monomials. You’ll see they don’t have any plus or minus signs with other numbers or letters.

2. Binomials: The name tells you what they are—binomials have two parts. These two parts are connected by either a plus or a minus sign. For example, $2x + 3$ and $5y - 4z$ are binomials.

3. Polynomials: This term covers all kinds of expressions, including monomials and binomials, plus those with three or more parts. For instance, $x^2 + 3x - 5$ is a polynomial.

Here’s an easy way to remember: just count how many parts there are!

• One part? That’s a monomial.
• Two parts? That’s a binomial.
• Three or more parts? That’s a polynomial.

It all comes down to the number of parts!