Can I have some example polynomial functions that are applied to real life?

Handyman charges for work on your property:

c(x) = ax^3 + bx^2 + cx + d

a is the cost of digging your cubic swimming pool hole in $ per cubic foot, x is pool width.

b is the cost of painting your square walls in $ per square foot., x is wall dimension.

c is the cost of building your fence in $ per foot, x is length of fence.

d is the one time cost for showing up in $.

c(t) is the total cost function for the handyman's trip.

d = vt + (1/2) at^2

From the link:

People Who Use Polynomials

Among career professionals, the ones most likely to use polynomials on a daily basis are those who need to make complex calculations. For example, an engineer designing a roller coaster would use polynomials to model the curves, while a civil engineer would use polynomials to design roads, buildings and other structures. Polynomials are also an essential tool in describing and predicting traffic patterns so appropriate traffic control measures, such as traffic lights, can be implemented. Economists use polynomials to model economic growth patterns, and medical researchers use them to describe the behavior of bacterial colonies.