If pair of polynomials have Greatest Common Factor as 1 ....

In summary, if a pair of polynomials have a greatest common divisor of 1, then no real or complex number can be a common root of both polynomials. However, the possibility of a non-trivial real common divisor or a common divisor that is a non-real complex number should also be considered.
  • #1
swampwiz
571
83
NOTE: presume real coefficients

If a pair of polynomials have the Greatest Common Factor (GCF) as 1, it would seem that any root of one of the pair cannot possibly be a root of the other, and vice-versa, since as per the Fundamental Theorem of Algebra, any polynomial can be decomposed into a set of linear (real root) or non-decomposible quadratic factor (complex conjugate root), and so if any value is a real root of one, for it to be a root of the other, the GCF would not be 1 - and likewise for any complex number, as it would only be a root for a specific quadratic factor.

So:

factors: A( x ) , B( x )

A( c ) = 0 & B( c ) = 0 ⇒ GCF( A( c ) , B( c ) ) != 1

GCF( A( c ) , B( c ) ) = 1 ⇒ !∃ c : [ A( c ) = 0 & B( c ) = 0 ] ⇔ no common roots

!E there does not exist

Is this accurate, or am I missing something? Thanks
 
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  • #2
swampwiz said:
NOTE: presume real coefficients

If a pair of polynomials have the Greatest Common Factor (GCF) as 1, it would seem that any root of one of the pair cannot possibly be a root of the other, and vice-versa, since as per the Fundamental Theorem of Algebra, any polynomial can be decomposed into a set of linear (real root) or non-decomposible quadratic factor (complex conjugate root), and so if any value is a real root of one, for it to be a root of the other, the GCF would not be 1 - and likewise for any complex number, as it would only be a root for a specific quadratic factor.

So:

factors: A( x ) , B( x )

A( c ) = 0 & B( c ) = 0 ⇒ GCF( A( c ) , B( c ) ) != 1

GCF( A( c ) , B( c ) ) = 1 ⇒ !∃ c : [ A( c ) = 0 & B( c ) = 0 ] ⇔ no common roots

!E there does not exist

Is this accurate, or am I missing something? Thanks
Usually we speak of a greatest common divisor. In addition I assume you meant ##GCF(A(x),B(x))## instead of ##GCF(A(c),B(c)).##
A common zero ##c \in ℝ## of ##A## and ##B## over the reals implies a common divisor ##(x-c).##
And isn't your second statement equivalent to your first, simply negated? Otherwise you should assume a non-trivial common divisor of ##A## and ##B## and handle the possibility that this could be a real number. And what if ##(x^2+1)## divides both?
 

1. What does it mean if a pair of polynomials have a Greatest Common Factor (GCF) of 1?

If two polynomials have a GCF of 1, it means that they do not share any factors other than 1. In other words, there is no polynomial that can divide both of the original polynomials without a remainder, other than 1.

2. How does the GCF of 1 affect the factoring of polynomials?

If the GCF of two polynomials is 1, it means that the two polynomials cannot be factored into a common term. This can make it more difficult to simplify or solve equations involving these polynomials.

3. Can a pair of polynomials have a GCF of 1 even if they have common factors?

Yes, it is possible for two polynomials to have common factors and still have a GCF of 1. This occurs when their shared factors are all raised to the power of 1, making them essentially the same as the number 1.

4. What is the significance of the GCF being 1 in polynomial division?

If the GCF of two polynomials is 1, it means that there will be no common factors to cancel out during polynomial division. This can make it more difficult to determine the quotient and remainder of the division.

5. Can the GCF of two polynomials ever be greater than 1?

Yes, it is possible for two polynomials to have a GCF greater than 1. In fact, the GCF of two polynomials can be any number that is a factor of both polynomials. However, if the GCF is 1, it indicates that the polynomials do not share any common factors other than 1.

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