Smallest Field containing Subfield and Complex Number/Examples/Numbers of Type Rational a plus b root 2

Example of Smallest Field containing Subfield and Complex Number
Let $\Q \sqbrk {\sqrt 2}$ denote the set:
 * $\Q \sqbrk {\sqrt 2} := \set {a + b \sqrt 2: a, b \in \Q}$

that is, all numbers of the form $a + b \sqrt 2$ where $a$ and $b$ are rational numbers.

Then $\Q \sqbrk {\sqrt 2}$ is the smallest field containing $\Q$ and $\sqrt 2$.

Formally, $\Q \sqbrk {\sqrt 2}$ is the field extension of $\Q$ for the minimal polynomial of $\sqrt 2$, the second-degree polynomial $x^2 - 2$.

Therefore, $\Q \sqbrk {\sqrt 2}$ is the vector space of dimension $2$ isomorphic to $\Q \sqbrk x / \gen {x^2 - 2}$.