Let <i>f</i>(<i>x</i>)
  be an irreducible polynomial over a field <I>F</i> and let <i>E</i> be a splitting field of  <i>f</i>(<i>x</i>).
  Then <i>f</i>(<i>x</i>)
  has the form<br>
<I>a</I>(<I>x - a<SUB>1</SUB></I>)<I><sup>n</SUP></I>(<i>x - a<SUB>2</SUB></I>)<I><sup>n</SUP> &#8230</I>(<I>x - a<SUB>t</SUB></I>)<I><sup>n</SUP></i>,
where <I>a<SUB>1</SUB>, a<SUB>2</SUB>, &#8230, a<SUB>t</SUB></I> are distinct elements of <I>E</I> and <I> a &#8712 E</I>.