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 Definition

In commutative rings

Without scalar coefficients

Let $R$ be a commutative ring. A polynomial function is a a function $f:R \to R$ such that

• $f$ is in the image of the function $j:R^* \to (R \to R)$ from the free monoid $R^*$ on $R$, i.e. the set of lists of elements in $R$, to the function algebra $R \to R$, such that

  • $j(\epsilon) = 0$, where $0$ is the zero function.
  • for all $a \in R^*$ and $b \in R^*$, $j(a b) = j(a) + j(b) \cdot (-)^{\mathrm{len}(a)}$, where $(-)^n$ is the $n$-th power function for $n \in \mathbb{N}$
  • for all $r \in R$, $j(r) = c_r$, where $c_r$ is the constant function whose value is always $r$.

• $f$ is in the image of the canonical ring homomorphism $i:R[x] \to (R \to R)$ from the polynomial ring in one indeterminant $R[x]$ to the function algebra $R \to R$, which takes constant polynomials in $R[x]$ to constant functions in $R \to R$ and the indeterminant $x$ in $R[x]$ to the identity function $\mathrm{id}_R$ in $R \to R$

With scalar coefficients

For a commutative ring $R$, a polynomial function is a function $f:R \to R$ with a natural number $n \in \mathbb{N}$ and a function $a:[0, n] \to R$ from the set of natural numbers less than or equal to $n$ to $R$, such that for all $x \in R$,

where $x^i$ is the $i$-th power function for multiplication.

In non-commutative algebras

For a commutative ring $R$ and a $R$-non-commutative algebra $A$, a $R$-polynomial function is a function $f:A \to A$ with a natural number $n \in \mathbb{N}$ and a function $a:[0, n] \to R$ from the set of natural numbers less than or equal to $n$ to $R$, such that for all $x \in A$,

where $x^i$ is the $i$-th power function for the (non-commutative) multiplication.

See also

• real polynomial function

• quadratic function

• rational zero theorem

• fundamental theorem of algebra

• polynomial

• degree of a polynomial

References

• Wikipedia, Polynomial function