Root-finding algorithm cubic polynomial may involve non-real cube roots). For polynomials of degree five or higher Abel–Ruffini theorem asserts that there is, in general, no radical expression of the roots. So, except for very low degrees, root finding of polynomials consists of finding approximations of the roots. By the fundamental theorem of algebra, one knows that a polynomial of degree has at most real or complex roots, and the this number is reached for almost all polynomials. It follows that the problem of root finding for polynomials may be split in three different subproblems; For finding one root, Newton's method and other
Nth root group: Find the square root of 152.2756. Find the cube root of 4192 to the nearest hundredth. The principal "n"th root of a positive number can be computed using logarithms. Starting from the equation that defines "r" as an "n"th root of "x", namely formula_80 with "x" positive and therefore its principal root "r" also positive, one takes logarithms of both sides (any base of the logarithm will do) to obtain The root "r" is recovered from this by taking the antilog: For the case in which "x" is negative and "n" is odd, there is one real root "r"