Real Root Polynomials and Real Root Preserving Transformations

Polynomials can be used to represent real-world situations, and their roots have real-world meanings when they are real numbers. The fundamental theorem of algebra tells us that every nonconstant polynomial p with complex coefficients has a complex root. However, no analogous result holds for guaranteeing that a real root exists to p if we restrict the coefficients to be real. Let n ≥ 1 and P n be the vector space of all polynomials of degree n or less with real coefficients. In this article, we give explicit forms of polynomials in P n such that all of their roots are real. Furthermore, we present explicit forms of linear transformations on P n which preserve real roots of polynomials in a certain subset of P n .

STRICTLY REAL FUNDAMENTAL THEOREM OF ALGEBRA USING POLYNOMIAL INTERLACING

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.

Quantitative fundamental theorem of algebra

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.