PolynomialReduce[poly,{poly1,poly2,…},{x1,x2,…}]
yields a list representing a reduction of poly in terms of the polyi. The list has the form {{a1,a2,…},b}, where b is minimal and a1 poly1+a2 poly2+…+b is exactly poly.


PolynomialReduce
PolynomialReduce[poly,{poly1,poly2,…},{x1,x2,…}]
yields a list representing a reduction of poly in terms of the polyi. The list has the form {{a1,a2,…},b}, where b is minimal and a1 poly1+a2 poly2+…+b is exactly poly.
Details and Options

- The polynomial b has the property that none of its terms are divisible by leading terms of any of the polyi.
- If the polyi form a Gröbner basis with respect to the xi, then this property uniquely determines the remainder obtained from PolynomialReduce.
- The result of reducing a polynomial in general depends on the ordering assigned to monomials. This ordering is affected by the ordering of the xi.
- The following options can be given, as for GroebnerBasis:
-
MonomialOrder Lexicographic the criterion used for ordering monomials CoefficientDomain Rationals the types of objects assumed to be coefficients Modulus 0 the modulus for numerical coefficients
Examples
open all close allBasic Examples (1)
Scope (1)
Options (4)
CoefficientDomain (1)
By default, PolynomialReduce works over the field of rational functions of parameters:
Compute the Gröbner basis of polys over the field of rational functions :
Reduce poly modulo gb1 over the field of rational functions :
Compute the Gröbner basis and reduce poly over the integers:
Compute the Gröbner basis and reduce poly over the rationals:
Compute the Gröbner basis and reduce poly using approximate arithmetic:
The precision used is chosen automatically, based on the precision of the Gröbner basis:
MonomialOrder (1)
By default, PolynomialReduce uses the Lexicographic monomial order:
Any MonomialOrder allowed by GroebnerBasis can be used:
Applications (3)
Test whether polynomials belong to the ideal generated by a set of polynomials:
The remainder is zero, hence f belongs to the ideal generated by polys:
The remainder is not zero, hence g does not belong to the ideal generated by polys:
Replace variables in a polynomial using equations relating old and new variables:
The remainder gives a representation of poly in terms of a and b:
This proves correctness of the representation:
Compute the representation of a polynomial in an algebra :
Introduce tag variables and order them last in the monomial ordering:
Properties & Relations (4)
Reduce a polynomial with respect to a list of polynomials:
f is equal to the linear combination of polys with coefficients qs plus the remainder r:
A polynomial belongs to the ideal generated by a Gröbner basis iff it reduces to zero:
This shows that p1 is in the ideal {g1,g2}:
Univariate PolynomialReduce is equivalent to PolynomialQuotientRemainder:
Reduce a noncommutative polynomial with respect to a list of noncommutative polynomials:
p is a linear combination of polynomials qq and the remainder polynomial r:
Possible Issues (1)
PolynomialReduce can give different results for the same inputs but with variables ordered differently:
Now change the ordering of the variables:
Tech Notes
Related Guides
Related Links
History
Introduced in 1996 (3.0)
Text
Wolfram Research (1996), PolynomialReduce, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/PolynomialReduce.html.
CMS
Wolfram Language. 1996. "PolynomialReduce." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/PolynomialReduce.html.
APA
Wolfram Language. (1996). PolynomialReduce. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/PolynomialReduce.html
BibTeX
@misc{reference.wolfram_2025_polynomialreduce, author="Wolfram Research", title="{PolynomialReduce}", year="1996", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/PolynomialReduce.html}", note=[Accessed: 08-August-2025]}
BibLaTeX
@online{reference.wolfram_2025_polynomialreduce, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={PolynomialReduce}, year={1996}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/PolynomialReduce.html}, note=[Accessed: 08-August-2025]}