Polynomial/Advanced

In algebra, a polynomial is, roughly speaking, a formal expression obtained from constants (called coefficients) and one or more variables by making a finite number of additions, subtractions and multiplications. For instance, $x^{2}-2x+1$ is a polynomial of one variable with integer coefficients, whereas $x^{2}+{\sqrt {2}}xy+y^{2}$ is a polynomial of two variables with real number coefficients.

Two binary operations, called addition and multiplication are defined on the set of polynomials. These operations, in turn, are defined using addition and multiplication operations on the coefficients. Thus, the most general context where one can define polynomials that can be added and multiplied using the usual definitions is when the coefficients are drawn from a set with two binary operations. To ensure that addition and multiplication of polynomials have useful properties, typically the coefficients are restricted to be in a commutative ring with identity. This is by far the most useful type of polynomial, and will be the type of polynomial considered in this article. However, various noncommutative analogs of polynomials, including rings of twisted polynomials (in which constants do not necessarily commute with variables during polynomial multiplication) and non-commuting polynomials (where the variables do not commute with each other) are useful in some specialized contexts.

Polynomials in one variable

There are many possible equivalent approaches to defining polynomials. For instance, they can be defined as the convolution algebra of the monoid of non-negative powers of the generator X of a cyclic group. This method also allows one to define non-commuting polynomial rings, and to view polynomials in one variable as a special case. Alternatively, polynomials can be defined as infinite sequences of coefficients such that all but a finite number of coefficients are equal to zero. This approach is useful because it allows one to view a polynomial ring as a subring of a ring of formal power series. This is the approach that will be used in this article.

Polynomials versus polynomial functions

It may be convenient to think of a polynomial as a function of its variables, that is, $x\mapsto x^{2}-2x+1$ or $(x,y)\mapsto x^{2}+y^{2}$. Such a function is called a polynomial function. But in reality, both concepts are different, the unspecified variables being purely formal entities when one thinks of an abstract polynomial, whereas they are meant to be replaced by any number when one thinks of a function. The distinction is important in abstract algebra, because what we have called "constant numbers" is more generally replaced by any ring, and for some rings the two concepts cannot be identified. There is not such a problem with polynomials over rings of usual numbers like integers, rational, real or complex numbers. Still it is important to understand that calculations with polynomials can be conceived in an only formal way, without giving any special ontological status to the variables. To make the distinction clear, it is common in algebra to denote the abstract variables with capital letters ($X$, $Y$, etc.), while variables of functions are still denoted with lowercase letters. We will use this convention in what follows.