Solution To The Depressed Cubic Page 1 of 4

By William Greco 8/09

A depressed cubic is an algebraic expression that is a third degree equation which lacks it’s
second degree quadratic term. The equation shown below is an example of a depressed cubic.
the depressed

cubic
ax 3  bx  c
The main goal of this report is to solve for the x variable of the depressed cubic and arrive at a
general solution for values of x, excluding complex numbers.

One solution of x follows:

subtract
ax 3  bx  c  c
ax 3  bx  c  c  c  ax 3  bx  c  0
 b 
substitute  y    for x 
 3ay 
3
  b     b 
ay    y     c  0
  3ay     3ay 
 
b3
simplify ay3  c  0
27a 2 y3
b3
substitute u  ay3 0
u-c
27au
multiply

by 27au
27au 2  27acu  b3  0

1 27 a 4b  27ac  27ac

3 2
apply
 u 
quadratic equation

54 a 54a

1 27 a 4b  27ac   c 
3 2
divide
 u 
27ac  
54a
54 a  2

1 27 a 4b  27ac  c
3 2
  a  a
 u  
54 a 2
27 a 4b3  27ac2  c
multiply
 u 
1
3 2

by

27 a 4b  27ac  54a 2
54 a

33 a 4b3  27ac 2  c
factor 27a
 u  
54a 2
3 3a 4b3  27ac 2  c
a 2b  a b
 u  
54a 2
 Solution To The Depressed Cubic Page 2 of 4
By William Greco 8/09

3a 4b3  27ac 2  c
divide
 u 
18 
3 54 18a 2

multiply 12ab3  81a 2 c 2 c

 u 

3a 4b3  27ac2  18a 2
re-order c 81a 2 c 2  12ab3
 u  
terms
2 18a
definition of u 3 c 81a 2 c 2  12ab3
ay3
ay  
2 18a
c 81a 2 c 2  12ab3

a y3
divide both

sides by a
 2 18a
a a
9a
9ac  81a 2 c 2  12ab3
2 18a 9a c   9ac common
denominator
y  3
18a
a
9ac  81a 2 c 2  12ab3  1 
multiply right hand side by 3 9ac  81a 2 c 2  12ab3
2 3
18a  y 
1  y 
a
18a a 18a 2
a

cube root 9ac  81a 2 c 2  12ab3


of both sides
3
y3  3
18a 2

3
9ac  81a 2 c 2  12ab3
y
18a 2
3
 9ac  81a 2 c 2  12ab3

a 3a
y
3
3
b
3
b 18a 2
3
9ac  81a 2 c 2  12ab3 original definition of y
y   b 
3 2
18a x y -  
 3a y 

3
subtract 9ac  81a 2 c 2  12ab3 b

 b 
x 
-  from both sides
 3a 
3
18a 2  3 9ac  81a 2 c 2  12ab3 
3a  
 3
18a 2 
 
 Solution To The Depressed Cubic Page 3 of 4
By William Greco 8/09

x
3
9ac  81a 2 c 2  12ab3 b
x  equation-1a 
3
18a 2  3 9ac  81a 2 c 2  12ab3 
3a  
 3
18a 2 
 

and
3
9ac  81a 2 c2  12ab3 b
x  equation-1b 
3
18a 2  3 9ac  81a 2 c 2  12ab3 
3a  
 3
18a 2 
 

check 
a  3, b  7, c  14
by equation-1a
2 2
3
9 314   813 14   12 373 7
x   1.221
3
18 3
2 3 2 2 
 9 314  813  14   12 37
3

3 3 
2
 3
18 3 
 
by equation-1b
2 2
3
9 314   813 14   12 373 7
x   1.221
3
18 3
2 3 2 2 
 9 314  813 14   12 37
3

3 3 
2
 3
18 3 
 
ax3  bx  c
3
3 1.221  7 1.221  14
 Solution To The Depressed Cubic Page 4 of 4
By William Greco 8/09

by equation-1a
2 2
3
9 314   813 14   12 373 7
 1.683  0.462
3
18 3
2 3 2 2 
 9 314  813 14   12 37
3

3 3 
2
 3
18 3 
 
1.683  0.462  1.221
by equation-1b
2 2
3
9 3 14   813  14   12 373 7
x  0.462   1.683
3
18 3
2 3 2 2 
 9 314  813 14   12 37
3

3 3 
2
 3
18 3 
 
0.462  1.683  1.221

Other forms of the equation include but are not limited to the following:
1
 27ac 2  4b3 3
 
 a c  b
x   1
 6 3a 2a 
   27ac 2  4b 3 3
   
a c
3a   
 6 3a 2a 
 
 
1
 
  3 
 1c 1  3 2 3  1 b
x=      4b  27c a  3  
  2  a  18     3 1

2 
 a    1  c  1  3
3 
 a       4b3  27c 2 a  3   
   2  a  18     
  a 2   
 
1
1 3
 
1   4b 3
 27c 2
a  2

  a2
b
x= 108c  12 3  2 1
6a   a   1 3
 
    4b 3
 27c 2
a  2

  a2
 108c  12 3  a
   
 
William Greco
2404 Greensward N.
Warrington, Pa. 18976 w2gre@verizon.net