1.Previous
3.Next

applies.)

In terms of the roots, the discriminant is equal to

:

It is thus the square of the Vandermonde polynomial times .

This expression for the discriminant is often taken as a definition. It makes clear that if the polynomial has a multiple root, then its discriminant is zero, and that, in the case of real coefficients, if all the roots are real and simple, then the discriminant is

1.Previous
3.Next