Quantitative fundamental theorem of algebra

Abstract

Abstract Using subresultants, we modify a real-algebraic proof due to Eisermann of the fundamental theorem of Algebra (FTA) to obtain the following quantitative information: in order to prove the FTA for polynomials of degree d, the intermediate value theorem (IVT) is required to hold only for real polynomials of degree at most d2. We also explain that the classical proof due to Laplace requires IVT for real polynomials of exponential degree. These quantitative results highlight the difference in nature of these two proofs.