Eisenstein's criterion

A sufficient condition (via a prime element) for a polynomial to be irreducible.
Eisenstein’s criterion

Eisenstein’s criterion: Let RR be a and let pRp\in R be a . Consider f(x)=anxn++a0R[x]f(x)=a_nx^n+\cdots+a_0\in R[x] in the R[x]R[x]. If

  • paip\mid a_i for all i<ni<n,
  • panp\nmid a_n, and
  • p2a0p^2\nmid a_0, then ff is in Frac(R)[x]\mathrm{Frac}(R)[x], where Frac(R)\mathrm{Frac}(R) is the of RR. Consequently, ff is irreducible in R[x]R[x].