scholarly journals Quantitative fundamental theorem of algebra

2019 ◽  
Vol 70 (3) ◽  
pp. 1009-1037 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Perrucci ◽  
Marie-Françoise Roy

Abstract Using subresultants, we modify a real-algebraic proof due to Eisermann of the fundamental theorem of Algebra (FTA) to obtain the following quantitative information: in order to prove the FTA for polynomials of degree d, the intermediate value theorem (IVT) is required to hold only for real polynomials of degree at most d2. We also explain that the classical proof due to Laplace requires IVT for real polynomials of exponential degree. These quantitative results highlight the difference in nature of these two proofs.

Author(s):  
SOHAM BASU

Abstract Without resorting to complex numbers or any advanced topological arguments, we show that any real polynomial of degree greater than two always has a real quadratic polynomial factor, which is equivalent to the fundamental theorem of algebra. The proof uses interlacing of bivariate polynomials similar to Gauss's first proof of the fundamental theorem of algebra using complex numbers, but in a different context of division residues of strictly real polynomials. This shows the sufficiency of basic real analysis as the minimal platform to prove the fundamental theorem of algebra.


2018 ◽  
Vol 97 (3) ◽  
pp. 382-385
Author(s):  
MOHSEN ALIABADI

The algebraic proof of the fundamental theorem of algebra uses two facts about real numbers. First, every polynomial with odd degree and real coefficients has a real root. Second, every nonnegative real number has a square root. Shipman [‘Improving the fundamental theorem of algebra’, Math. Intelligencer29(4) (2007), 9–14] showed that the assumption about odd degree polynomials is stronger than necessary; any field in which polynomials of prime degree have roots is algebraically closed. In this paper, we give a simpler proof of this result of Shipman.


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