Algebraic Number
An algebraic number is a number that is the root of some polynomial with integer coefficients. Algebraic numbers can be real or complex and need not be rational.
Algebraic number is a college-level concept that would be first encountered in an abstract algebra course covering rings and fields.
Examples
| Gaussian Integer: |
A Gaussian integer is a complex number a + b i, where a and b are integers and i is the imaginary unit. |
| Rational Number: |
A rational number is a real number that can be written as a quotient of two integers. |
| i: |
i is the symbol used to denote the principal square root of -1, also called the imaginary unit. |
Prerequisites
| Field: |
A field is a ring in which every nonzero element has a multiplicative inverse. The real numbers and the complex numbers are both fields. |
| Polynomial: |
A polynomial is a mathematical expression involving a sum of powers in one or more variables multiplied by coefficients. |
Classroom Articles on Rings and Fields
Classroom Articles on Abstract Algebra (Up to College Level)
