I get $$\left\{\frac{2}{3},\frac{2}{3},\frac{4}{9},\frac{35}{81},\frac{94}{243},\frac{275}{729} ,\frac{263}{729},\frac{2267}{6561}\right\}$$ for the monic polynomials of degree 1 to 8, using Mathematica: f[a_, b_] := a x^(b - 1) PolysOfDegree[n_] := First /@ Table[ x^n + Plus @@ MapIndexed[f, IntegerDigits[i, 3, n] - 1], {i, 0, 3^n - 1}] TestFactors[n_] := Table[FactorList[x^i - 1], {i, 1, 2 n + 2}] // Flatten // Union // Rest HasRootOfUnityAsRoot[poly_] := Or @@ Map[ PolynomialMod[poly , #] === 0 &, TestFactors[Exponent[poly, x]]] Prob[n_] := Count[Map[HasRootOfUnityAsRoot, PolysOfDegree[n]], True]/3^n Table[Prob[n], {n,1,8}] I've enumerated the polynomials of degree $n$, and enumerated the characteristic polynomials of roots of unity of degree $2n+2$. Then it's just a matter of testing which are divisible by which.