Endomorphism/Finite-dimensional/Minimal polynomial/Definition

Minimal polynomial

Let ${}V$ be a finite-dimensional ${}K$-vector space and

$f\colon V\longrightarrow V$

a linear mapping. Then the uniquely determined normed polynomial ${}\mu _{f}\in K[X]$ of minimal degree fulfilling

${}\mu _{f}(f)=0\,$

is called the minimal polynom of ${}f$.