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Exercise 2188Algebra › PolynomialsL1Added 3 Nov 2026

Cyclotomic polynomials

#cyclotomic#roots of unity#irreducibility

Statement

Show that Φ3(X)=X2+X+1\Phi_3(X)=X^2+X+1 is irreducible over Q\mathbb{Q}, and that its roots are the primitive cube roots of unity.

Hint

A primitive cube root ω\omega satisfies ω3=1\omega^3=1 and ω≠1\omega\neq1, so ω2+ω+1=0\omega^2+\omega+1=0.

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Solution

Roots. If ω≠1\omega\neq1 and ω3=1\omega^3=1, then (ω−1)(ω2+ω+1)=0(\omega-1)(\omega^2+\omega+1)=0, so ω\omega is a root of X2+X+1X^2+X+1.

Discriminant. Δ=1−4=−3<0\Delta=1-4=-3<0, so the roots are complex: ω=(−1±i3)/2\omega=(-1\pm i\sqrt3)/2, with ∣ω∣=1|\omega|=1 and ω3=1\omega^3=1.

Irreducibility over Q\mathbb{Q}. A quadratic with no rational root is irreducible over Q\mathbb{Q}. X2+X+1X^2+X+1 has no rational root (candidates ±1\pm1 give 33 and 11).

Conclusion. Φ3(X)=X2+X+1\Phi_3(X)=X^2+X+1 is irreducible over Q\mathbb{Q}, with roots the primitive cube roots of unity.