Fundamental theorem of algebra
In mathematics, the fundamental theorem of algebra states that every non-constant single-variable polynomial with complex coefficients has at least one complex root.
Description
This includes polynomials with real coefficients, since every real number is a complex number with an imaginary part equal to zero.
Equivalently (by definition), the theorem states that the field of complex numbers is algebraically closed.
The theorem is also stated as follows: every non-zero, single-variable, degree n polynomial with complex coefficients has, counted with multiplicity, exactly n roots. The equivalence of the two statements can be proven through the use of successive polynomial division.
In spite of its name, there is no purely algebraic proof of the theorem, since any proof must use the completeness of the reals (or some other equivalent formulation of completeness), which is not an algebraic concept.
Additionally, it is not fundamental for modern algebra; its name was given at a time when the study of algebra was mainly concerned with the solutions of polynomial equations with real or complex coefficients.
See also
External links
- Fundamental theorem of algebra @ Wikipedia
- [Fundamental Theorem of Algebra] - Numberphile @ YouTube
