**EDIT2:** After reading some papers, I think the question can best be rephrased as "How can the minimal polynomial for a polynomial with algebraic coefficients be calculated. I have seen papers and textbooks that show that algebraic numbers are algrebraically closed, but I haven't seen a constructive proof. > Let $f_n,f_{n-1},...,f_0$ be univariate polynomials with rational > coefficients. For each $f_i$, assume that we have successfully > isolated a root $\lambda_i$ via Sturm's Theorem as the only root > within the range $[\lambda_i^-,\lambda_i^+]$. > > Define $g$ as the univariate polynomial: > > $$g(x) = \lambda_nx^n + \lambda_{n-1}x^{n-1} + ... + \lambda_0$$ > > **Is it possible to isolate the zeros of $g$? Specifically, is it possible to determine if $g$ has repeated roots?** > > I asked a somewhat similar question [here][1] in which each > $\lambda_i$ is represented as an interval whose size can be shrunk > arbitrarily (but not shrunk to a single point). Alex Degtyarev > correctly pointed out that the problem cannot be solved if the values > of $\lambda_i$ are not known exactly. > > However, in this instance, the values are known exactly. > Unfortunately, I'm missing how the rational coefficients of the $f_i$ > can be incorporated in an algorithm to isolate the roots of $g$. > > Thanks for any help. > > **EDIT:** Since posting the question, I've read a bit on Galois Theory, and it looks like this problem can be solved, although I'm > still trying to figure out exactly how. I've figured out algorithms > to find the minimal polynomial for sums and products of algebraic > numbers. I still haven't found a algorithm to determine the minimal > polynomial for a polynomial with algebraic coefficients although I > have found a [proof][2] that such a polynomial exists. [1]: https://mathoverflow.net/questions/186621/determining-roots-of-a-polynomial-with-interval-estimates-of-coefficients [2]: http://planetmath.org/sites/default/files/texpdf/42022.pdf [3]: http://math.stackexchange.com/questions/155122/how-to-prove-that-the-sum-and-product-of-two-algebraic-numbers-is-algebraic