

   PPoollyynnoommiiaallss

        polynomial(coef = c(0, 1))
        as.polynomial(x)
        is.polynomial(x)

   AArrgguummeennttss::

          p: numeric vector, giving the polynomial coefficients
             in increasing order.

   DDeessccrriippttiioonn::

        Construct, coerce to and test for polynomial objects.

   DDeettaaiillss::

        `polynomial' constructs a polynomial from its coeffi-
        cients, i.e., `p[1:k]' specifies the polynomial

               p_1 + p_2 x + p_3 x^2 + ... + p_k x^{k-1}

        {p[1] + p[2]* x + p[3]* x^2 + ... + p[k]* x^(k-1)}.
        Internally, polynomials are simply numeric coefficient
        vectors of class `"polynomial"'.

        `as.polynomial' tries to coerce its arguments to a
        polynomial.

        `is.polynomial' tests whether its argument is a polyno-
        mial (in the sense that it has class `"polynomial"'.

   EExxaammpplleess::

        polynomial(1:4)
        as.polynomial(c(1,0,3,0))
        polynomial(c(2,rep(0,10),1))

