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Descartes' rule of signs will not necessarily tell exact number of complex roots, but will give an idea. The Wikipedia article explains it pretty well, but here is a brief explanation:

It is for single variable polynomials.

  • Order the polynomial in descending powers [example: f(x) = ax³ + bx² + cx + d]
  • Count number of sign changes between consecutive coefficients. This is the maximum possible real positive roots.
  • Let function g(x) = f(-x), count number of sign changes, which is maximum number of real negative roots.

Note these are maximums, not the actual numbers. Let p = positive maximum and q = negative maximum. Let m be the order (maximum power of the variable), which is also the total number of roots.

So m - p - q = minimum number of complex roots. Note complex roots always occur in pairs, so number of complex roots will be {0, 2, 4, etc}.

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What is the relationship between the degree of a polynomial and the number of roots it has?

In answering this question it is important that the roots are counted along with their multiplicity. Thus a double root is counted as two roots, and so on. The degree of a polynomial is exactly the same as the number of roots that it has in the complex field. If the polynomial has real coefficients, then a polynomial with an odd degree has an odd number of roots up to the degree, while a polynomial of even degree has an even number of roots up to the degree. The difference between the degree and the number of roots is the number of complex roots which come as complex conjugate pairs.


How do you find out the number of imaginary zeros in a polynomial?

Descartes' rule of signs (see related link) can help you determine the maximum number of real roots. If the polynomial is odd powered, then there will be at least one real root. Any even powered polynomial can be factored into a bunch of quadratics [though they may not be rational or even pretty], and any odd-powered polynomial can be factored into a bunch of quadratics and one linear (this one would have the real root). So the quadratics may have pairs of real or complex roots (having an imaginary component).To clarify, when I say complex, I'm referring to the fact that there will be an imaginary component to the root, because actually the real numbers is a subset of the set of complex numbers.The order of the polynomial will tell you how many roots it will have. If you can graph the polynomial, then you can see if it crosses the x axis. If it is a 5th order polynomial, and crosses the x axis 3 times, then there are 3 real roots (the other two roots are complex).


Pi is transcendental What does this mean in mathematics?

An algebraic number is one which is a root of a non-constant polynomial equation with rational coefficients. A transcendental number is not an algebraic number. Although a transcendental number may be complex, Pi is not.


Is 13 a polynomial If it is find its degree and classify it by the number of its terms?

13 is not a polynomial.


What is the number which when substituted in a polynomial makes its value zero?

A root.

Related Questions

What is an algebraic number?

An algebraic number is a complex number which is the root of a polynomial equation with rational coefficients.


What is the relationship between the degree of a polynomial and the number of roots it has?

In answering this question it is important that the roots are counted along with their multiplicity. Thus a double root is counted as two roots, and so on. The degree of a polynomial is exactly the same as the number of roots that it has in the complex field. If the polynomial has real coefficients, then a polynomial with an odd degree has an odd number of roots up to the degree, while a polynomial of even degree has an even number of roots up to the degree. The difference between the degree and the number of roots is the number of complex roots which come as complex conjugate pairs.


How do you find out the number of imaginary zeros in a polynomial?

Descartes' rule of signs (see related link) can help you determine the maximum number of real roots. If the polynomial is odd powered, then there will be at least one real root. Any even powered polynomial can be factored into a bunch of quadratics [though they may not be rational or even pretty], and any odd-powered polynomial can be factored into a bunch of quadratics and one linear (this one would have the real root). So the quadratics may have pairs of real or complex roots (having an imaginary component).To clarify, when I say complex, I'm referring to the fact that there will be an imaginary component to the root, because actually the real numbers is a subset of the set of complex numbers.The order of the polynomial will tell you how many roots it will have. If you can graph the polynomial, then you can see if it crosses the x axis. If it is a 5th order polynomial, and crosses the x axis 3 times, then there are 3 real roots (the other two roots are complex).


How did Rene Descartes discovered the rule of signs?

René Descartes discovered the rule of signs while exploring the relationships between the coefficients of polynomials and their roots. In his work, "La Géométrie," he analyzed how the signs of the coefficients in a polynomial equation could indicate the number of positive and negative roots. This insight led to the formulation of the rule of signs, which states that the number of positive roots of a polynomial is either equal to the number of sign changes between consecutive coefficients or less than it by an even number. Descartes' approach combined algebraic analysis with geometric interpretation, marking a significant advancement in the study of polynomials.


Do every polynomial function has at least one complex zero?

No. Complex zeros always come in conjugate pairs. So if a+bi is one zero, then a-bi is also a zero.The fundamental theorem of algebra says"Every polynomial equation of degree n with complex coefficients has n roots in the complex numbers."If you want to know how many complex root a given polynomial has, you might consider finding out how many real roots it has. This can be done with Descartes Rules of signsThe maximum number of positive real roots can be found by counting the number of sign changes in f(x). The actual number of positive real roots may be the maximum, or the maximum decreased by a multiple of two.The maximum number of negative real roots can be found by counting the number of sign changes in f(-x). The actual number of negative real roots may be the maximum, or the maximum decreased by a multiple of two.Complex roots always come in pairs. That's why the number of positive or number of negative roots must decrease by two. Using the two rules for positive and negative signs along with the fact that complex roots come in pairs, you can determine the number of complex roots.


What is the LARGEST number of real zeros a polynomial with degree n can have?

A polynomial of degree ( n ) can have at most ( n ) real zeros. This is a consequence of the Fundamental Theorem of Algebra, which states that a polynomial of degree ( n ) has exactly ( n ) roots in the complex number system, counting multiplicities. Therefore, while all roots can be real, the maximum number of distinct real zeros a polynomial can possess is ( n ).


Is every number a polynomial?

No.A polynomial is not a number. Do you mean can every number be represented by a polynomial?If so, the answer is still no.


What does it mean to be a root of a polynomial?

A root of a polynomial is a value of the variable for which the polynomial evaluates to zero. In other words, if ( p(x) ) is a polynomial, then a number ( r ) is a root if ( p(r) = 0 ). Roots can be real or complex and are critical for understanding the behavior and graph of the polynomial function. The Fundamental Theorem of Algebra states that a polynomial of degree ( n ) has exactly ( n ) roots, counting multiplicities.


A number or polynomial that is multiplied by another number to form a product?

Is also a number or polynomial.


Which polynomial has rational coefficients a leading leading coefficient of 1 and the zeros at 2-3i and 4?

There cannot be such a polynomial. If a polynomial has rational coefficients, then any complex roots must come in conjugate pairs. In this case the conjugate for 2-3i is not a root. Consequently, either (a) the function is not a polynomial, or (b) it does not have rational coefficients, or (c) 2 - 3i is not a root (nor any other complex number), or (d) there are other roots that have not been mentioned. In the last case, the polynomial could have any number of additional (unlisted) roots and is therefore indeterminate.


What is the maximum number of x-intercepts that a 7th degree polynomial might have?

A 7th degree polynomial can have a maximum of 7 x-intercepts. This is because the number of x-intercepts is at most equal to the degree of the polynomial, and each x-intercept corresponds to a root of the polynomial. However, some of these roots may be complex or repeated, so not all of them will necessarily be distinct real x-intercepts.


What does it mean for a number to be transcendental?

An algebraic number is a number that is a root of a non-zero polynomial with rational coefficients. A transcendental number is a real or complex number that is not an algebraic number. Two notable examples are pi and e.