End behavior worksheet
Only two things matter at the ends: the degree and the sign of the leading coefficient. Everything in the middle of the polynomial is too small to matter once x is large enough.
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Sigma Prep · sigmaprep.io/worksheets Name End Behavior of Polynomial FunctionsDate Period Describe the end behavior of each function. Free math worksheets at sigmaprep.io/worksheets© 2026 Sigma Prep |
Sigma Prep · sigmaprep.io/worksheets Name End Behavior of Polynomial FunctionsAnswer keyVersion 1Date Period Describe the end behavior of each function.
Free math worksheets at sigmaprep.io/worksheets© 2026 Sigma Prep |
How to do these
- The degree is 4, which is even, so both ends agree.
- The leading coefficient is negative.
- So both ends go down.
The answer is at both ends.
Where students go wrong
Reading the first term printed instead of the highest power. If the polynomial is written out of order, the leading term is not the one on the left; find the biggest exponent first.
Also called leading coefficient test, end behavior or behavior of polynomial graphs.