The second knot polynomial discovered. Unlike the first-discovered Alexander polynomial, the Jones polynomial can sometimes distinguish handedness (as can its more powerful generalization, the HOMFLY polynomial). Jones polynomials are Laurent polynomials in t assigned to an R^3 knot. The Jones polynomials are denoted V_L(t) for links, V_K(t) for knots, and normalized so that V_unknot(t) = 1.

Alexander polynomial | HOMFLY polynomial | Kauffman polynomial F | knot | link | Vassiliev invariant