In algebra, il teorema delle radici razionali afferma che ogni soluzione razionale di

un'equazione polinomiale a coefficienti interi:

è della forma , dove:

è un divisore del termine noto

è un divisore del coefficiente direttore .

Il teorema non dà alcuna informazione su eventuali radici irrazionali o complesse.

In altro modo, supponiamo che la frazione sia una radice del polinomio. Possiamo supporre
che la frazione sia ridotta ai minimi termini, ovvero che gli interi e siano primi fra loro.
Sostituendo si ottiene

da cui, moltiplicando per ,

Ora divide i primi termini, dunque deve dividere anche l'ultimo termine . Dato che e
sono primi fra loro, deve dividere . Con un ragionamento analogo si vede che divide .

Quali
In thesono le radici dei seguenti polinomi:
polynomial

In the polynomial
any rational root fully reduced would have to have a numerator that divides evenly into 1 and a
denominator that divides evenly into 2. Hence the only possible rational roots are ±1/2 and ±1;
since neither of these equates the polynomial to zero, it has no rational roots.
any rational root fully reduced would have to have a numerator that divides evenly into 1 and a
denominator that divides evenly into 2. Hence the only possible rational roots are ±1/2 and ±1;
since neither of these equates the polynomial to zero, it has no rational roots.

In the polynomial

In the polynomial
the only possible rational roots would have a numerator that divides 6 and a denominator that
divides 1, limiting the possibilities to ±1, ±2, ±3, and ±6. Of these, 1, 2, and –3 equate the
polynomial to zero, and hence are its rational roots. (In fact these are its only roots since a cubic
the
has only
only possible rational
three roots; roots would
in general, have a numerator
a polynomial could havethatsome
divides 6 andand
rational a denominator that
some irrational
divides 1, limiting the possibilities to ±1, ±2, ±3, and ±6. Of these, 1, 2, and –3 equate the
roots.)
polynomial to zero, and hence are its rational roots. (In fact these are its only roots since a cubic
Every
has rational
only three root of the
roots; polynomial
in general, a polynomial could have some rational and some irrational
roots.)

Every rational root of the polynomial

must be among the numbers symbolically indicated by:

must be among the numbers symbolically indicated by: