A
field F is said to be
algebraically closed, if every
polynomial of degree at least 1 has a zero in
F. As an example, the field of
real numbers is not algebraically closed, because the polynomial
x2 + 1 has no real zero whereas the field of
complex numbers is algebraically closed which is the content of the
Fundamental Theorem of Algebra. Every field which is not algebraically closed can be formally extended by adjoining roots of polynomials without zeros. If one adjoins to
F all roots of all polynomials, the resulting field is called the
algebraic closure of
F.