Algebraic solution of the general

polynomial equation
Samuel Bonaya Buya Ngao girls’ secondary school

November 2017
 Declaration
I declare that the paper entitled “Algebraic solution of the general polynomial equation” is my own
original work and that all sources that I have used or quoted have been acknowledged by means
of complete references.
Abstract
In this method a method of obtaining radical solution of the general polynomial equation is discussed.
The method involves converting the general polynomial equation to quadratic form before finding the
general solution.
Introduction
Polynomial equations have many important applications in the sciences, engineering and mathematics.
The works of Abel and Galois have shown that the radical solution of general polynomial equations of
degree five and above is impossible.

It is however possible to obtain radical solution using other methods that are not common in modern
abstract algebra.

Recent research has shown that with the appropriate approach it is always possible to find the algebraic
solution of polynomial equations of degree greater than four.

In this paper a method will be presented in which the higher degree terms of a general polynomial
equation are converted to quadratic form before solving the general the general polynomial equation.
Method

The general monic polynomial equation;

𝑥 𝑛 + 𝑎𝑛−1 𝑥 𝑛−1 + 𝑎𝑛−2 𝑥 𝑛−2 + . . . . +𝑎0 = 0 1

Further investigations show that a degree (n) term of a polynomial can be written in the quadratic form
2 below.

(𝑥 𝑛−𝑝 +𝑥 𝑝 )2 −(𝑥 𝑛−𝑝 −𝑥 𝑝 )2

𝑥𝑛 = 4
2

Before proceeding to solve the general polynomial equation it might be worthwhile to highlight on the
importance of equation. The nth root form of a number can be derived from equation 2 as follows:

𝑛 (𝑥 𝑛−𝑝 +𝑥 𝑝 )2 −(𝑥 𝑛−𝑝 −𝑥 𝑝 )2

𝑥= √ 4
3

For the purpose of solving the equation 1 we will give the nth degree term of the polynomial equation
the form below:
2
(𝑥 𝑛−1 +𝑥) −(𝑥 𝑛−1 −𝑥)2
𝑥𝑛 = 4
4

2
(𝑥 𝑛−𝑖−1 +𝑥) −(𝑥 𝑛−𝑖−1 −𝑥)2
𝑥 𝑛−𝑖 = 5
4

Substituting equations 4 and 5 into 1:

2 2
(𝑥 𝑛−1 +𝑥) −(𝑥 𝑛−1 −𝑥)2 (𝑥 𝑛−𝑖−1 +𝑥) −(𝑥 𝑛−𝑖−1 −𝑥)2
4
+ . . . +𝑎𝑛−𝑖 4
+. . . . . 𝑎1 𝑥 + 𝑎0 = 0 6

The equation 6 can be written in the form below:

2
(𝑥 𝑛−1 + 𝑥)2 − (𝑥 𝑛−1 − 𝑥)2 + . . . +𝑎𝑛−𝑖 ((𝑥 𝑛−𝑖−1 + 𝑥) − (𝑥 𝑛−𝑖−1 − 𝑥)2 )+. . . . . 4𝑎1 𝑥 + 4𝑎0 = 0 7

If we take:

(𝑥 𝑛−1 + 𝑥)2 − (𝑥 𝑛−1 − 𝑥)2 = 𝑢2

2 2
(𝑥 𝑛−𝑖−1 + 𝑥) − (𝑥 𝑛−𝑖−1 − 𝑥) = 𝑘 −𝑖 𝑢2 8

𝑥 = 𝑘 −𝑛+1 𝑢2

(𝑘) is a geometric ratio.

Substituting 8 into equation 7

𝑢2 (1+ . . . +𝑘 −𝑖 𝑎𝑛−𝑖 + . . . +4𝑘 −𝑛+1 𝑎1 ) + 4𝑎0 = 0 9

−4𝑎0
𝑢 = ±√ 10
1+ . . .+𝑘 −𝑖 𝑎𝑛−𝑖 + . . . +4𝑘 −𝑛+1 𝑎1

Substituting 8 into 4:
2
(𝑥 𝑛−1 +𝑥) −(𝑥 𝑛−1 −𝑥)2 𝑢2
𝑥𝑛 = 4
= 4
11

𝑛 −4𝑎0
𝑥= √ 𝜔𝑛−1 12
1+ . . .+𝑘 −𝑖 𝑎𝑛−𝑖 + . . . +4𝑘 −𝑛+1 𝑎1

(𝜔) is the nth root of unity.

Select k such that:

𝑘 −1 𝑎𝑛−1 + 𝑘 −2 𝑎𝑛−2 + 𝑘 −4 𝑎𝑛−4 = 0 13

Let (𝑦 = 𝑘 −1) 14

Then by equation 14:

𝑎𝑛−1 + 𝑦𝑎𝑛−2 + 𝑦 3 𝑎𝑛−4 = 0 15

𝑎𝑛−2 𝑎𝑛−1
𝑦3 + 𝑦 + =0 16
𝑎𝑛−4 𝑎𝑛−4

The Cardano solution for one of roots of equation 16 is given by:

3 𝑎 1 𝑎 1 𝑎
𝑘 −1 = √− 2𝑎𝑛−1 + √4 (𝑎𝑛−1 )2 + 27 (𝑎𝑛−2 )3 17
𝑛−4 𝑛−4 𝑛−4

1
𝑘= 3 𝑎 1 𝑎 1 𝑎
18
√−2𝑎𝑛−1 +√4(𝑎𝑛−1 )2 +27(𝑎𝑛−2 )3
𝑛−4 𝑛−4 𝑛−4

1
𝑘 −𝑛+1 = 1
1−𝑛
√ 3√− 𝑎𝑛−1 +√1(𝑎𝑛−1)2+ 1 (𝑎𝑛−2 )3
2𝑎𝑛−4 4 𝑎𝑛−4 27 𝑎𝑛−4

19

Substituting 17 and 19 into 12:

−4𝑎0
𝑥= 𝑛 𝑎𝑛−𝑖 𝑎1 𝜔𝑛−1 20
1+ . . .+ 3 𝑎 + . . . +4 −𝑛+1
𝑛−1 1 𝑎𝑛−1 2 1 𝑎𝑛−2 3
√ √−2𝑎
𝑛−4
+√ (
4 𝑎𝑛−4
) + (
27 𝑎𝑛−4
)
1−𝑛 1
√ 3 𝑎𝑛−1 1 𝑎 1 𝑎
√−2𝑎 +√ ( 𝑛−1 )2 + ( 𝑛−2 )3
𝑛−4 4 𝑎𝑛−4 27 𝑎𝑛−4
Conclusion and recommendation
A radical solution of the general polynomial equation has been achieved. General polynomials of
degrees greater than four have radical solution. No Tschirnhausen transformation is needed to solve
higher degree polynomial equations.

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(Buya S. B., The General quintic equation, its solution by Factorization into cubic and quadratic factors,
2017 )