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    Cardano - Solutions To Cubic Equations

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    Keshaw Tiwari
    The document discusses Cardano's method for solving cubic equations. It introduces cube roots of unity and shows how to use substitutions to transform a cubic equation into a depressed cubic of the form x^3 + px + q = 0, which can then be solved using the cube roots. Examples are provided to demonstrate the method. The key idea is to make a substitution of x = u + v to eliminate the x^2 term before solving for u and v.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Cardano - Solutions To Cubic Equations

    Uploaded by

    Keshaw Tiwari
    82 views5 pages
    The document discusses Cardano's method for solving cubic equations. It introduces cube roots of unity and shows how to use substitutions to transform a cubic equation into a depressed cubic of the form x^3 + px + q = 0, which can then be solved using the cube roots. Examples are provided to demonstrate the method. The key idea is to make a substitution of x = u + v to eliminate the x^2 term before solving for u and v.

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    Cardano_Solutions to cubic equations

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    The document discusses Cardano's method for solving cubic equations. It introduces cube roots of unity and shows how to use substitutions to transform a cubic equation into a depressed cubic of the form x^3 + px + q = 0, which can then be solved using the cube roots. Examples are provided to demonstrate the method. The key idea is to make a substitution of x = u + v to eliminate the x^2 term before solving for u and v.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    82 views5 pages

    Cardano - Solutions To Cubic Equations

    Uploaded by

    Keshaw Tiwari
    The document discusses Cardano's method for solving cubic equations. It introduces cube roots of unity and shows how to use substitutions to transform a cubic equation into a depressed cubic of the form x^3 + px + q = 0, which can then be solved using the cube roots. Examples are provided to demonstrate the method. The key idea is to make a substitution of x = u + v to eliminate the x^2 term before solving for u and v.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    You are on page 1of 5

    Cardano Methods for Solving Cubic

    Equations
    Keshaw Tiwari
    August 2021

    §1 Introduction

    :) 1.0.0.1
    We are gonna talk about a important property which can be used to solve cubic
    equations of the form
    x3 + px + q = 0
    p, q ∈ R Here you should notice that coefficient of x2 is 0. But what to do when
    coefficient of x2 is not zero? Cardano had the idea of this question, we will discuss
    that in the latter parts of this handout.

    :) 1.1
    §1.1 Cube roots of unity
    But before we go into the method and problem solving, we must study about cube
    roots of unity, to go flawlessly.
    Note: Unity means 1
    So let’s define a x such that
    x3 = 1
    Now most of you will directly say x = 1, but is 1 the only solution? Nope, if we
    increase our scope to complex numbers, we get two more solutions, which is quite
    trivial, by fundamental theorem of Arithmetic.

    1
    Keshaw Tiwari (August 2021) Cardano Methods for Solving Cubic Equations

    :) 1.2
    So how do we solve this?
    x3 = 1
    x3 − 1 = 0
    (x − 1)(x2 + x + 1) = 0
    If x-1 = 0, x = 1. If x2 + x + 1 = 0 then by quadratic formula, we get
    √
    −1 ± −3
    x=
    2
    This number is called ω, pronounce omega. √ √
    Note that there are two values one is −1+2 3i and second one is −1−2 3i
    Now they have some interesting properties. The square of one value equals the
    other, you can do that to confirm.
    Therefore is one value is ω then other value is ω 2
    Now we know the roots of x3 − 1 = 0 are 1, ω and ω 2
    Now these results are trivial by vieta relations,

    ω2 + ω + 1 = 0

    ω3 = 1
    ω3 + ω2 + ω = 0
    1
    Some immediate conclusions which you get are ω 2 can be replaced by ω sum of
    complex roots = -1

    Now let’s see cardano methods for solving cubic equations

    :) 1.3 — §1.2 Cardano Methods


    The key idea in
    x3 + px + q = 0
    solving such equations is making a substituition, x = u + v
    We will use an example to understand this, because numbers fit better than
    variables in our minds.

    §1.2.1 example
    x3 − 30x + 133 = 0
    x=u+v
    x3 = u3 + v 3 + 3uvx
    x3 − 3uvx − (u3 + v 3 ) = 0
    So now comparing this equation with the original equation we get uv = 10 and
    u3 + v 3 = −133

    2
    Keshaw Tiwari (August 2021) Cardano Methods for Solving Cubic Equations

    So now if we somehow solve for u and v, we can find x. For solving for u and v we
    make an easy substitution, v = 10
    u . And assuming you are familiar with solving such
    algebraic equations, we get u3 = −8. And now divide by -8 on both sides, to get
    −u 3
    ( ) =1
    2
    Solving this we get u = −2, −2ω, −2ω 2

    Note: You will get u3 = −125 value also but both of the values will ulti-
    mately provide same values of x, its just the v terms would be interchanged
    with u, since we have to sum the corresponding values, no difference will be
    created.

    :) 1.4
    Now we know v = 10 2
    u , so substituting the values of u namely −2, −2α, −2α we get
    the corresponding v values −5, −5ω, −5ω 2
    Now the x values will be
    x=u+v
    x = −2 + (−5) = −7
    x = −2ω + (−5ω 2 ) = −2ω − 5ω 2
    x = −2ω 2 + (−5ω) = −2ω 2 − 5ω

    Note: In case you are wondering, what I wondered when I was learning
    about cube roots of unity, we can replace ω 2 with ω1 and vice-versa because
    we know ω 3 = 1 by vieta relations on x3 − 1 = 0

    :) 1.2.1.1
    We simplified the cubic equation quite easily, else it takes a really lot of bashing to
    do so, nor did we only figured out real values, but also found roots in the complex
    numbers

    :) 1.5. §1.3 Homework


    Solve
    x3 − 6x − 6 = 0
    x3 + 18x − 6 = 0
    x3 + 3x − 2 = 0
    x3 + 9x − 100 = 0

    3
    Keshaw Tiwari (August 2021) Cardano Methods for Solving Cubic Equations

    :) 1.3.0.1
    §1.4 Depressing cubic equations
    Here we will learn how to simplify equations of the form

    ax3 + bx2 + cx + d = 0

    into
    y 3 + py + q = 0
    For this we will do a substitution,

    b
    x=y−
    3a
    Doing so will eliminate the x2 term.

    :) 1.6
    §1.5 Example
    Let’s depress a cubic equation now. Depress

    2x3 − 30x2 + 162x − 350 = 0

    So here
    −30
    x=y−
    3×2
    x=y+5
    Now put this value of x in the original equation

    2(y + 5)3 − 30(y + 5)2 + 162(y + 5) − 350 = 0

    2(y 3 + 125 + 15y 2 + 75y) − 30(y 2 + 25 + 10y) + 162y + 810 − 350 = 0


    2y 3 + 250 + 30y 2 + 150y − 30y 2 − 750 − 300y + 162y + 460 = 0
    Notice the x2 term is successfully eliminated

    2y 3 + 12y − 40 = 0

    y 3 + 6y − 20 = 0
    This substitution will work every time, regardless of the cubic equation.
    Now you can solve this equation using cardano method described above, then you
    can find x using the above equation

    x=y+5

    §1.6 Exercises

    4
    Keshaw Tiwari (August 2021) Cardano Methods for Solving Cubic Equations

    :) 1.6.0.1
    1) The cubic polynomial
    x3 − 9x2 + 20x + 2
    can be expressed in the cubic equation

    y 3 + cy + d

    . Find c+d
    2) Solve
    x3 = 3x2 + 9x + 14 = 0
    3) Solve
    8x3 + 12x2 + 30x − 3 = 0
    4) Show that
    √ 3 √
    q q
    3
    5+2− 5−2∈Z

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