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
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