In a certain exercise I am asked to find the minimal polynomial over a field $K$ of the element $\alpha^2$, where $\alpha$ is such that $p(\alpha) = 0$, where $p(x) = x^3 + x - 1$ and it is the minimal polynomial (edited).
I found a polynomial that is satisfied by $\alpha^2$ with coefficients in $K$, taking into account that $\alpha = \alpha^2 + \alpha^4$, and since $p(\alpha)^2 = 0^2 = 0$, then $(\alpha^2)^3+ 2(\alpha^2)^2 + \alpha^2 - 1 = 0$, then the minimal polynomial is $q(x) = x^3 + 2x^2 + x -1$. The problem here is that I don't know if it is irreducible. If I knew that the field is $\mathbb{Q}$, then it would be straightforward, but I don't know if is reducible or not in an unspecified field $K$. I would need to know if it has roots, but I don't know how. Can somedoby help me?
Btw, is the polynomial right?
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Emmy N.
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Similar question which may help: https://math.stackexchange.com/q/610813/86846 – abiessu Oct 16 '24 at 13:18
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This question is not answerable if $K$ is not specified. For instance if $\alpha^2\in K$ then its minimal polynomial over $K$ is of degree $1$. (N.B. This is a repetition of my comment of yesterday, which has been unduly erased.) – Anne Bauval Oct 17 '24 at 20:50