How Do You Prove Equivalence of Two Polynomials?

AI Thread Summary
To prove the equivalence of two real polynomials, it is essential to show that if two polynomials are equal for all x, then their corresponding coefficients must also be equal. This can be established by demonstrating that if a polynomial equals zero for all x, then all its coefficients must be zero, indicating the polynomials are identical. One method involves evaluating the polynomial at n distinct values of x to generate independent equations that lead to the conclusion that all coefficients are zero. Alternatively, taking derivatives of the polynomial can simplify the proof, as each derivative must also equal zero for all x, reinforcing that all coefficients are zero. This understanding clarifies the concept of polynomial equivalence effectively.
jeremy22511
Messages
29
Reaction score
0
Can somebody prove the equivalence statement of two real polynomials in one variable x for me? My Math teacher just told us to remember it as a definition and so I didn't get any proof for it; I attempted to prove it myself and ended up confusing myself with a lot of symbols.

So, can somebody help me with this?

Thanks
Jeremy
 
Mathematics news on Phys.org
So, what exactly does this "equivalence statement" state?
 
The only thing I can think of is that if two polynomials are equal for all x, then they have the same degree and corresponding coeffcients are equal.

If a_0+ a_1x+ a_2x^2++ \cdot\cdot\cdot\+ a_nx^n=b_0+ b_1x+ b_2x^2+ \cdot\cdot\cdot+ b_nx^n for all x, then we must have
(a_0- b_0)+ (a_1- b_1)x+ (a_2- b_2)x^2+\cdot\cdot\cdot+ (a_n- b_n)x^n= 0 so it is sufficient to show that if
a_0+ a_1x+ a_2x^2+ \cdot\cdot\cdot+ a_nx^n= 0 for all x then a_0= a_1= a_2= \cdot\cdot\cdot= a_n= 0. That is, prove that the functions, 1, x, x^2, ..., x^n are "independent".

One way to do that is to take n different values for x, say x= 0, 1, 2, ..., n, to get n equations to solve and show that those equations are independent: x= 0 gives a_0= 0 so that's easy, x= 1 gives a_0+ a_1+ a_2+ \cdot\cdot\cdot+ a_n= 0, x= 2 gives a_0+ 2a_1+ 4a_2+ \cdot\cdot\cdot 2^n a_n= 0, etc.

More sophisticated but simpler is to note that if a_0+ a_1x+ a_2x^2+ \cdot\cdot\cdot+ a_nx^n= 0 for all x, then it is a constant so its derivative, a_1+ 2a_2x+ \cdot\cdot\cdot+ na_nx^{n-1} i also equal to 0 for all x and so its derivative if 0 for all x, etc. Setting x= 0 in the formula for the polynomial and all of its derivatives gives a_0= 0, a_1= 0, 2a_2= 0, ..., n! a_n= 0 which again say that all coefficients are 0.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thanks. That really helped.

Jeremy
 
Thread 'Video on imaginary numbers and some queries'
Hi, I was watching the following video. I found some points confusing. Could you please help me to understand the gaps? Thanks, in advance! Question 1: Around 4:22, the video says the following. So for those mathematicians, negative numbers didn't exist. You could subtract, that is find the difference between two positive quantities, but you couldn't have a negative answer or negative coefficients. Mathematicians were so averse to negative numbers that there was no single quadratic...
Insights auto threads is broken atm, so I'm manually creating these for new Insight articles. In Dirac’s Principles of Quantum Mechanics published in 1930 he introduced a “convenient notation” he referred to as a “delta function” which he treated as a continuum analog to the discrete Kronecker delta. The Kronecker delta is simply the indexed components of the identity operator in matrix algebra Source: https://www.physicsforums.com/insights/what-exactly-is-diracs-delta-function/ by...
Thread 'Unit Circle Double Angle Derivations'
Here I made a terrible mistake of assuming this to be an equilateral triangle and set 2sinx=1 => x=pi/6. Although this did derive the double angle formulas it also led into a terrible mess trying to find all the combinations of sides. I must have been tired and just assumed 6x=180 and 2sinx=1. By that time, I was so mindset that I nearly scolded a person for even saying 90-x. I wonder if this is a case of biased observation that seeks to dis credit me like Jesus of Nazareth since in reality...
Back
Top