Cube root approximation is somewhat of a black art. Some implementations manipulate the exponent bits of the floating-point number; i.e. they arrive at an initial approximation by dividing the exponent by 3. Cubic equations, which are polynomial equations of the third degree (meaning the highest power of the unknown is 3) can always be solved for their three solutions in terms of cube roots and square roots (although simpler expressions only in terms of square roots exist for all three solutions, if at least one of them is a rational number). If two of the solutions are complex numbers, then all three
Nth root real. Finally, if "x" is not real, then none of its "n"th roots is real. Roots are usually written using the radical symbol or "radix" with formula_2 denoting the principal square root of formula_3, formula_4 denoting the principal cube root, formula_5 denoting the principal fourth root, and so on. In the expression formula_6, "n" is called the "index", formula_7 is the "radical sign" or "radix", and formula_3 is called the "radicand". Since the radical symbol denotes a function, it is defined to return only one result for a given argument formula_3, which is called the principal "n"th root of formula_3.