Vandermonde Polynomial

In algebra, the Vandermonde polynomial of an ordered set of n variables, named after Alexandre-Théophile Vandermonde, is the polynomial:

(Some sources use the opposite order, which changes the sign times: thus in some dimensions the two formulae agree in sign, while in others they have opposite signs.)

It is also called the Vandermonde determinant, as it is the determinant of the Vandermonde matrix.

The value depends on the order of the terms: it is an alternating polynomial, not a symmetric polynomial.