Polynomial of Degree 2 or 3 over Field Has No Roots If and Only If It is Irreducible

Theorem

A degree 2 or 3 polynomial fF[x] for some field F has no roots if and only if it is irreducible.

Proof

Suppose fF[X] factorises non-trivially as f=gh. Given we are working over a field, the the degrees are such that

deg(f)=deg(g)+deg(h).

Given our factorisation is non-trivial, we have deg(g),deg(h)1, and hence if deg(f)={2,3}, at least one of g or h must be degree 1.

Given f has a factor of degree 1, it has a root, since aX+b=0 has general solution X=ba.


This correspondence does not generalise to higher degree polynomials.

Example

The polynomial

X4+1=(X2+2X+2)(X22X+2)

is reducible over R but has no roots in R.