Cube root polar angle by three in order to define a cube root. With this definition, the principal cube root of a negative number is a complex number, and for instance will not be −2, but rather . This difficulty can also be solved by considering the cube root as a multivalued function: if we write the original complex number "x" in three equivalent forms, namely The principal complex cube roots of these three forms are then respectively Unless , these three complex numbers are distinct, even though the three representations of "x" were equivalent. For example, may then be calculated to
Cube (algebra) Cube (algebra) In arithmetic and algebra, the cube of a number is its third power: the result of the number multiplied by itself twice: It is also the number multiplied by its square: This is also the volume formula for a geometric cube with sides of length , giving rise to the name. The inverse operation of finding a number whose cube is is called extracting the cube root of . It determines the side of the cube of a given volume. It is also raised to the one-third power. Both cube and cube root are odd functions: The cube