In mathematics, a matrix factorization of a polynomial is a technique for factoring irreducible polynomials with matrices. David Eisenbud proved that every multivariate real-valued polynomial p without linear terms can be written as a AB = pI, where A and B are square matrices and I is the identity matrix.^[1] Given the polynomial p, the matrices A and B can be found by elementary methods.^[2]

• Example:

The polynomial x² + y² is irreducible over R[x,y], but can be written as

${\displaystyle \left[{\begin{array}{cc}x&-y\\y&x\end{array}}\right]\left[{\begin{array}{cc}x&y\\-y&x\end{array}}\right]=(x^{2}+y^{2})\left[{\begin{array}{cc}1&0\\0&1\end{array}}\right]}$