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This can be proved as follows. First, if r is a root of a polynomial with real coefficients, then its complex conjugate is also a root. So the non-real roots, if any, occur as pairs of complex conjugate roots. As a cubic polynomial has three roots (not necessarily distinct) by the fundamental theorem of algebra, at least one root must be real.
The roots, stationary points, inflection point and concavity of a cubic polynomial x 3 − 6x 2 + 9x − 4 (solid black curve) and its first (dashed red) and second (dotted orange) derivatives. The critical points of a cubic function are its stationary points , that is the points where the slope of the function is zero. [ 2 ]
Finding the roots (zeros) of a given polynomial has been a prominent mathematical problem.. Solving linear, quadratic, cubic and quartic equations in terms of radicals and elementary arithmetic operations on the coefficients can always be done, no matter whether the roots are rational or irrational, real or complex; there are formulas that yield the required solutions.
However, root-finding algorithms may be used to find numerical approximations of the roots of a polynomial expression of any degree. The number of solutions of a polynomial equation with real coefficients may not exceed the degree, and equals the degree when the complex solutions are counted with their multiplicity.
A solution in radicals or algebraic solution is an expression of a solution of a polynomial equation that is algebraic, that is, relies only on addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, raising to integer powers, and extraction of n th roots (square roots, cube roots, etc.). A well-known example is the quadratic formula = , which ...
A quadratic equation always has two roots, if complex roots are included and a double root is counted for two. A quadratic equation can be factored into an equivalent equation [ 3 ] a x 2 + b x + c = a ( x − r ) ( x − s ) = 0 {\displaystyle ax^{2}+bx+c=a(x-r)(x-s)=0} where r and s are the solutions for x .
The roots , of the quadratic polynomial () = + + satisfy + =, =. The first of these equations can be used to find the minimum (or maximum) of P ; see Quadratic equation § Vieta's formulas .
Finding the root of a linear polynomial (degree one) is easy and needs only one division: the general equation + = has solution = /. For quadratic polynomials (degree two), the quadratic formula produces a solution, but its numerical evaluation may require some care for ensuring numerical stability.