<s>[INST] Is $\sqrt[3]{p+q\sqrt{3}}+\sqrt[3]{p-q\sqrt{3}}=n$, $(p,q,n)\in\mathbb{N} ^3$ solvable? In this recent answer to this question by Eesu, Vladimir
Reshetnikov proved that
$$
\begin{equation}
\left( 26+15\sqrt{3}\right) ^{1/3}+\left( 26-15\sqrt{3}\right) ^{1/3}=4.\tag{1}
\end{equation}
$$
I would like to know if this result can be generalized to other triples of
natural numbers. 

Question. What are the solutions of the following equation? $$ \begin{equation} \left( p+q\sqrt{3}\right) ^{1/3}+\left(
p-q\sqrt{3}\right) ^{1/3}=n,\qquad  \text{where }\left( p,q,n\right)
\in  \mathbb{N} ^{3}.\tag{2} \end{equation} $$

For $(1)$ we could write $26+15\sqrt{3}$ in the form $(a+b\sqrt{3})^{3}$ 
$$
26+15\sqrt{3}=(a+b\sqrt{3})^{3}=a^{3}+9ab^{2}+3( a^{2}b+b^{3}) 
\sqrt{3}
$$
and solve the system
$$
\left\{ 
\begin{array}{c}
a^{3}+9ab^{2}=26 \\ 
a^{2}b+b^{3}=5.
\end{array}
\right. 
$$
A solution is $(a,b)=(2,1)$. Hence $26+15\sqrt{3}=(2+\sqrt{3})^3 $. Using the same method to $26-15\sqrt{3}$, we find $26-15\sqrt{3}=(2-\sqrt{3})^3 $, thus proving $(1)$.
For $(2)$ the very same idea yields
$$
p+q\sqrt{3}=(a+b\sqrt{3})^{3}=a^{3}+9ab^{2}+3( a^{2}b+b^{3}) \tag{3}
\sqrt{3}
$$
and
$$
\left\{ 
\begin{array}{c}
a^{3}+9ab^{2}=p \\ 
3( a^{2}b+b^{3}) =q.
\end{array}
\right. \tag{4}
$$
I tried to solve this system for $a,b$ but since the solution is of the form
$$
(a,b)=\Big(x^{3},\frac{3qx^{3}}{8x^{9}+p}\Big),\tag{5}
$$
where $x$ satisfies the cubic equation
$$
64x^{3}-48x^{2}p+( -15p^{2}+81q^{2}) x-p^{3}=0,\tag{6}
$$
would be very difficult to succeed, using this naive approach. 

Is this problem solvable, at least partially?

Is $\sqrt[3]{p+q\sqrt{3}}+\sqrt[3]{p-q\sqrt{3}}=n$, $(p,q,n)\in\mathbb{N} ^3$ solvable?
 [/INST] This kind of simplification occurs if and only if $p \pm q\sqrt d$ has a cube root of the form $x \pm y\sqrt d$ with rational $x,y$. So, to get all instances of this, start by choosing $x+y\sqrt d$, and cube it to get the values for $p$ and $q$.
Setting up the system $(x + y\sqrt d)^3 = p + q\sqrt d$, we get $x^3+3dxy^2 = p$ and $3x^2y+dy^3 = q$. This system has $9$ solutions in $\Bbb C^2$. 
To get a particular solution, pick a cube root $a$ of $p + q\sqrt d$, a cube root $b$ of $p - \sqrt d$, and build $x = (a+b)/2, y = (a-b)/2\sqrt d$ :
Then, $8(x^3+3dxy^2) = (a+b)^3+3(a+b)(a-b)^2 = 4a^3 + 4b^3 = 8p$, and $8\sqrt d(3x^2y+dy^3) = 3(a+b)^2(a-b)+(a-b)^3 = 4a^3-4b^3 = 8q\sqrt d$, which proves that those $9$ couples are solution.
To show that it has only $9$ solution, we can show $x$ is a root of a degree $9$ polynomial :
squaring the second equation we get $q^2 = 9x^4y^2 + 6dx^2y^4 + d^2y^6$. Multiply by $27dx^3$ and use the first equation to get $27dx^3q^2 = 81x^6(p-x^3) + 18x^3(p-x^3)^2 + (p-x^3)^3$, which reduces to $$64x^9-48px^6+(27dq^2-15p^2)x^3-p^3 = 0$$
Finally, given a value for $x$, we can solve for $y$ : The first equation gives $y^2 = \frac{p-x^3}{3dx}$, and plugging this into the second we get $y = \frac{3qx}{8x^3+p}$. Hence the $9$ solutions I gave earlier are the only solutions to the system.
More importantly, if we can find a pair of cube roots such that $x$ is rational, then the corresponding $y$ is also rational, and what we really have found is that $p+q\sqrt d$ has a cube root in $\Bbb Q(\sqrt d)$.
Now, this makes all problems of the form "show that $\sqrt[3]{p+q\sqrt d} + \sqrt[3]{p-q\sqrt d} = 2x$" solvable immediately by computing $y= \frac{3qx}{8x^3+p}$ and then checking that $(x+y\sqrt d)^3 = p + q\sqrt d$. If this doesn't work, then the problem was wrong to begin with.

I should also point out that the degree $9$ polynomial in $x$ factors over $\Bbb Q(\sqrt{-3},\sqrt[3]{p^2-dq^2})$ into a product of $3$ cubics :
$$(4x^3 - 3\sqrt[3]{p^2-dq^2}x - p)(4x^3 - 3j\sqrt[3]{p^2-dq^2}x - p)(4x^3 - 3j^2\sqrt[3]{p^2-dq^2}x - p) = 0$$ (where $j$ is a primitive cube root of $1$).  
Attempting to use Cardan's formula on those will give you back the original expression $2x = \sqrt[3]{p+q\sqrt d}+\sqrt[3]{p-q\sqrt d}$.
Attempting to use Cardan's formula on the cubic for $x^3$ and then taking a cube root seems to be an even worse idea, and the moral of the story is : unlike square roots, you can't algebraically find the cube roots of $p + q\sqrt d$.
</s>