Polynomials. Translated from the second Russian edition 2001 by Dimitry Leites. (Q1031096)

From the preface: ``This book contains an exposition of the main results in the theory of polynomials, both classical and modern. Considerable attention is given to Hilbert's 17th problem on the representation of non-negative polynomials by the sums of squares of rational functions and its generalizations. Galois theory is discussed primarily from the point of view of the theory of polynomials, not from that of the general theory of fields and their extensions. More precisely: In Chapter 1 we discuss, mostly classical, theorems about the distribution of the roots of a polynomial and of its derivative. It is also shown how to determine the number of real roots to a real polynomial, and how to separate them. Chapter 2 deals with irreducibility criteria for polynomials with integer coefficients, and with algorithms for factorization of such polynomials and for polynomials with coefficients in the integers mod \(p\). In Chapter 3 we introduce and study some special classes of polynomials: symmetric (polynomials which are invariant when the indeterminates are permuted), integer valued (polynomials which attain integer values at all integer points), cyclotomic (polynomials with all primitive \(n\)th roots of unity as roots), and some interesting classes introduced by Chebyshev, and by Bernoulli. In Chapter 4 we collect a lot of scattered results on properties of polynomials. We discuss, e.g., how to construct polynomials with prescribed values in certain points (interpolation), how to represent a polynomial as a sum of powers of polynomials of degree one, and give a construction of numbers which are not roots of any polynomial with rational coefficients (transcendental numbers). Chapter 5 is devoted to the classical Galois theory. It is well known that the roots of a polynomial equation of degree at most four in one variable can be expressed in terms of radicals of arithmetic expressions of its coefficients. A main application of Galois theory is that this is not possible in general for equations of degree five or higher. In Chapter 6 three classical Hilbert's theorems are given: an ideal in a polynomial ring has a finite basis (Hilbert's basis theorem); if a polynomial \(f\) vanishes on all common zeros of \(f_1,\ldots, f_r\), then some power of \(f\) is a linear combination (with polynomial coefficients) of \(f_1,\ldots, f_r\) (Hilbert's Nullstellensatz); and if \(M = \oplus M_i\) is a finitely generated module over a polynomial ring over \(K\), then \(\dim_K M_i\) is a polynomial in \(i\) for large \(i\) (the Hilbert polynomial of \(M\)). Furthermore, the theory of Gröbner bases is introduced. Gröbner bases are a tool for calculations in polynomial rings. An application is that solving systems of polynomial equations in several variables with finitely many solutions can be reduced to solving polynomial equations in one variable. In the final Chapter 7 considerable attention is given to Hilbert's 17th problem on the representation of non-negative polynomials as the sum of squares of rational functions, and to its generalizations. The Lenstra-Lenstra-Lovász algorithm for factorization of polynomials with integer coefficients is discussed in an appendix.'' An excellent book for the theory of polynomials! The first edition of this translation appeared in 2004 (see Zbl 1063.12001), the Russian originals were published in 1999 and 2001.