Difference between revisions of "Algebraic number"

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An '''algebraic number''' is a [[root]] of a [[polynomial]] with [[integer]] [[coefficient]]s. Examples include <math>\frac{1}{3}</math>, <math>\sqrt{2}+\sqrt{3}</math>, <math>\imath</math>, and <math>\frac{4+\sqrt[27]{19}}{\sqrt[3]{4}+\sqrt[7]{97}}</math>. A number that is not algebraic is called a [[transcendental number]], such as <math>e</math> and <math>\pi</math>.
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An '''algebraic number''' is a [[root]] of a [[polynomial]] with [[integer]] [[coefficient]]s. Examples include <math>\frac{1}{3}</math>, <math>\sqrt{2}+\sqrt{3}</math>, <math>i</math>, and <math>\frac{4+\sqrt[27]{19}}{\sqrt[3]{4}+\sqrt[7]{97}}</math>. A number that is not algebraic is called a [[transcendental number]], such as <math>e</math> and <math>\pi</math>.
  
 
===Number of algebraic numbers===
 
===Number of algebraic numbers===
Although it initially seems that the number of algebraic numbers is large, it turns out that there are only [[countable|countably]] many of them.  That is, the algebraic numbers have the same [[cardinality]] as the integers.
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Although it seems that the number of algebraic numbers is large, there are only [[countable|countably]] many of them.  That is, the algebraic numbers have the same [[cardinality]] as the integers.
  
 
Algebraic numbers are studied extensively in [[algebraic number theory]].
 
Algebraic numbers are studied extensively in [[algebraic number theory]].
  
 
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Revision as of 21:19, 24 April 2008

An algebraic number is a root of a polynomial with integer coefficients. Examples include $\frac{1}{3}$, $\sqrt{2}+\sqrt{3}$, $i$, and $\frac{4+\sqrt[27]{19}}{\sqrt[3]{4}+\sqrt[7]{97}}$. A number that is not algebraic is called a transcendental number, such as $e$ and $\pi$.

Number of algebraic numbers

Although it seems that the number of algebraic numbers is large, there are only countably many of them. That is, the algebraic numbers have the same cardinality as the integers.

Algebraic numbers are studied extensively in algebraic number theory.

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