Polynomial growth refers to a type of mathematical growth characterized by functions that can be expressed as a polynomial equation. In simpler terms, if a function can be written in the form f(n) = a_n n^k + a_n-1 n^k-1 + ... + a_1 n + a_0 , where k is a non-negative integer and a_n are constants, it exhibits polynomial growth. This means that as the input n increases, the output grows at a rate proportional to a power of n . This concept is often contrasted with other growth rates, such as exponential growth, where functions increase much more rapidly. For example, while a polynomial function like f(n) = n^2 grows relatively slowly compared to an exponential function like g(n) = 2^n , it still represents a significant increase as n becomes large. Understanding polynomial growth