Polynomial trending occurs in large data sets containing many fluctuations and describes a curved or broken pattern from a straight linear trend.

Example: Notice the exponents on the terms. The first term has exponent 2; the second term has an understood exponent 1; and the last term doesn't have any variable at all.

A polynomial equation is a mathematical expression consisting of variables and coefficients that only involves addition, subtraction, multiplication and non-negative integer exponents of variables.