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A novel method to solve cubic and quartic equations

Article · January 2014

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Abhishek Das
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 A novel method to solve cubic and quartic equations
Abhishek Das∗
B.M. Birla Science Centre, Adarsh Nagar, Hyderabad - 500063, India

Abstract
In this paper we resort to a new method of finding the solution of the cubic and the
quartic equations. At first we start with the quadratic equation and pave a method to solve
the cubic equation. Since the quartic can be reduced to a cubic equation, its solution depends
on the method we fabricate in case of the cubic equation. The methodology involved in the
proposed solving procedure is beneficial in the sense that it reduces our effort substantially
while solving the cubic and the quartic equations, despite the fact that it is slightly based on
the conventional Cardano’s method and Ferrari’s method.
Keywords: Cubic equation, quartic equation, stationary point.
Mathematical Subject Classification: 11D25

1 The cubic equation

Before indulging ourselves with the cubic equation we commence with the general quadratic
equation of the form

𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐 = 0 (1)
the solution to which is already known to mathematicians. The roots or zeros of (1) are given by
√
−𝑏 ± 𝑏 2 − 4𝑎𝑐
𝑥1,2 = (2)
2𝑎
We take a different path to derive this solution in lieu of any conventional method. Let
𝑓𝑞 (𝑥) = 𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐. Let us differentiate this with respect to 𝑥 to obtain

𝑓𝑞0 (𝑥) = 2𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏 (3)

With 𝑓𝑞0 (𝑥) = 0 we get
𝑏
𝑥=− (4)
2𝑎
∗ parbihtih3@gmail.com

1
which is the stationary point of the polynomial curve 𝑓𝑞 (𝑥). With reference to ([1]) the solution
of equation (1) may be assumed to be of the form
𝑏
+𝑘
𝑥=− (5)
2𝑎
where the extra term 𝑘 has been presumed to contribute to the solution of (1). Now
𝑏 2
) = 𝑘2
(𝑥 + (6)
2𝑎
𝑏2
⇒ 𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑥 + ( 2 − 𝑘 2 𝑎) = 0 (7)
4𝑎
Comparing this with equation (1) we have

𝑏2
− 𝑎𝑘 2 = 𝑐 (8)
4𝑎
√
𝑏 2 − 4𝑎𝑐
⇒ 𝑘=± (9)
2𝑎
Putting the value of 𝑘 in (5) we arrive at the solution
√
−𝑏 ± 𝑏 2 − 4𝑎𝑐
𝑥= (10)
2𝑎
which is the same as (2). Thus our non-conventional method of the implication of calculus helps
to determine the roots of the quadratic equation. In the same vein, we will be able to determine
the roots of the cubic equation, though our method is slightly based on Cardano’s method. Let us
consider the general cubic equation to be as

𝑎𝑥 3 + 𝑏𝑥 2 + 𝑐𝑥 + 𝑑 = 0 (11)
Let 𝑓𝑐 (𝑥) = 𝑎𝑥 3 + 𝑏𝑥 2 + 𝑐𝑥 + 𝑑. Differentiating this with respect to 𝑥 we obtain

𝑓𝑐0 (𝑥) = 3𝑎𝑥 2 + 2𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐 (12)

√
2
With 𝑓𝑐0 (𝑥) = 0 we obtain the stationary points ( −2𝑏± 4𝑏
6𝑎
−12𝑎𝑐
) of the polynomial curve 𝑓𝑐 (𝑥).
Now, differentiating equation (12) with respect to 𝑥 we get
d 0
𝑓𝑐00 (𝑥) = ( 𝑓 (𝑥)) = 6𝑎𝑥 + 2𝑏 (13)
d𝑥 𝑐
d 0
With, d𝑥 ( 𝑓𝑐 (𝑥)) = 0 we have the solution
𝑏
𝑥=− (14)
3𝑎
which is the stationary point of the polynomial curve 𝑓𝑐0 (𝑥). As before, with reference to ([1]) we
presume that an extra term 𝑘 contributes to the solution of (14) as well as (11). Thus, we assume

2
the solution to be of the form
𝑏
𝑥=− +𝑘 (15)
3𝑎
Arranging and taking square on both sides we will arrive at an equation of the form

𝑏2
3𝑎𝑥 2 + 2𝑏𝑥 + = 3𝑎𝑘 2
3𝑎

Comparing this with the equation 3𝑎𝑥 2 + 2𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐 = 0 we would arrive at the solution
√
−2𝑏 ± 4𝑏 2 − 12𝑎𝑐
𝑥=
6𝑎

which gives the solution of the equation 3𝑎𝑥 2 + 2𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐 = 0 and the stationary points of the
polynomial curve 𝑓𝑐 (𝑥). Thus, the solution (15) corresponds to the original equation (11) and the
equation (14) derived from it.
Now, arranging and taking cube on both sides of (15) we will arrive at an equation of the form

𝑏2 𝑏3
𝑎𝑥 3 + 𝑏𝑥 2 + 𝑎[ 𝑥+ ] = 𝑘3 (16)
3𝑎 27𝑎 2
Now, using equation (11) we have

𝑏2 𝑏3 1
𝑥+ 2
− 𝑘 3 = (𝑐𝑥 + 𝑑) (17)
3𝑎 27𝑎 𝑎
Using (15) we arrive at the equation

𝑘3 + 𝑙𝑘 + 𝑚 = 0 (18)
2
where, 𝑙 = 𝑎𝑐 − 3𝑎
𝑏
and 𝑚 = − 3𝑎𝑏𝑐 𝑑
2 + 𝑎 . At this point we resort to Cardano’s method of solving
equations of the type (18), which will yield a quadratic equation of the form

𝑙3
𝑤 2 + 𝑚𝑤 − =0 (19)
27
The three solutions of (19) are therefore
1)
1 3
𝑘 1 = (𝑟𝑒𝑖𝜃 ) 3 − 1
(𝑟𝑒𝑖𝜃 ) 3
2)
1 3
𝑘 2 = (𝑟𝑒𝑖(𝜃+2𝜋) ) 3 − 1
(𝑟𝑒𝑖(𝜃+2𝜋) ) 3

3
3)
1 3
𝑘 3 = (𝑟𝑒𝑖(𝜃+4𝜋) ) 3 − 1
(𝑟𝑒𝑖(𝜃+4𝜋) ) 3
where, 𝑟 = 𝑟 1,2 for 𝑤 = 𝑤 1,2 = 𝑟 1,2 𝑒𝑖𝜃
and, q
𝑏2 3
−( 9𝑏𝑐 𝑑
𝑎 + 27 𝑎 ) ± ( 9𝑏𝑐 𝑑 2 𝑐
𝑎 + 27 𝑎 ) + 108( 𝑎 − 3𝑎 )
𝑤 1,2 =
54

Thus, the general solution of equation (11) is given by

𝑏
𝑥=− + 𝑘 1,2,3 (20)
3𝑎
The advantage of this method is that it does not require the various substitutions of Cardano’s
method ([2]) and reduces our effort in finding the roots of any general cubic equation.

2 The quartic equation

Let us consider a general quartic equation of the form

𝑎𝑥 4 + 𝑏𝑥 3 + 𝑐𝑥 2 + 𝑑𝑥 + 𝑒 = 0 (21)
In lieu of indulging to find the stationary points of (4) we differentiate it three times with respect
to 𝑥 to obtain

24𝑎𝑥 + 6𝑏 = 0 (22)
which has the solution
𝑏
𝑥=− (23)
4𝑎
As before, we presume that an extra term 𝑘 contributes to the solution of (24) since the coefficients
𝑐, 𝑑 and 𝑒 have been eliminated due to the double differentiation. Thus, we assume the solution
of (24) to be of the form
𝑏
𝑥=−+𝑘 (24)
4𝑎
which in the previous section has been shown to correspond to the original equation and the
equations derived from it. Arranging and taking the fourth power on both sides we will obtain

𝑏 3𝑏 2 𝑥 2 𝑏3𝑥 𝑏4
𝑥4 + 𝑥3 + + + = 𝑘4 (25)
𝑎 8𝑎 2 16𝑎 3 256𝑎 4

4
Here, comparing with (24) we get

3𝑏 2 𝑥 2 𝑏3𝑥 𝑏4 4 1
2
+ 3
+ 4
− 𝑘 = (𝑐𝑥 2 + 𝑑𝑥 + 𝑒) (26)
8𝑎 16𝑎 256𝑎 𝑎
Using (27) we will obtain an expression of the form

𝑘 4 + 𝑙 𝑘 2 + 𝑚𝑘 + 𝑛 = 0 (27)
3𝑏 2 𝑏3 23𝑏 4 𝑏2 𝑐 3𝑏 3 𝑏4
where, 𝑙 = 𝑎𝑐 − 8𝑎2 , 𝑚 = − 16𝑎2 + 𝑑𝑎 and 𝑛 = 𝑎𝑒 + 256𝑎4 + 4𝑎3 + 2𝑎
𝑏𝑐 𝑏𝑑
2 + 4𝑎 2 − 16𝑎 3 − 64𝑎 3 . Now, we
resort to Ferrari’s method ([2]) so that the resolvent or reducing cubic is given by

𝑙 𝑛𝑙 𝑚 2 𝑙3
4𝑦 3 − [𝑛 + 3( ) 2 ] 𝑦 + ( − − )=0 (28)
6 6 16 216
𝑚2 𝑙3
Taking 𝐿 = −[𝑛 + 3( 6𝑙 ) 2 ] and 𝑀 = ( 𝑛𝑙6 − 16 − 216 ) we have

𝑦 3 + 𝐿𝑦 + 𝑀 = 0 (29)
which has the solutions
1)
1 3
𝑦 1 = (𝑟𝑒𝑖𝜃 ) 3 − 1
(𝑟𝑒𝑖𝜃 ) 3
2)
1 3
𝑦 2 = (𝑟𝑒𝑖(𝜃+2𝜋) ) 3 − 1
(𝑟𝑒𝑖(𝜃+2𝜋) ) 3
3)
1 3
𝑦 3 = (𝑟𝑒𝑖(𝜃+4𝜋) ) 3 − 1
(𝑟𝑒𝑖(𝜃+4𝜋) ) 3
where, 𝑟 = 𝑟 1,2 for 𝑤 = 𝑤 1,2 = 𝑟 1,2 𝑒𝑖𝜃
√
−27𝑀 ± 729𝑀 2 + 108𝐿 3
𝑤 1,2 =
54

Now, the solution of (27) is given by the equations

𝑙
𝑘 2 ± 2𝜆𝑘 + ± 𝜇 + 2𝑦 = 0 (30)
6
where, the parameters 𝜆 and 𝜇 are given by
r
𝑙
𝜆 1,2 = ± 𝑦 1,2,3 −
6

5
 and

− 𝑚4
𝜇=
𝜆 1,2

Equation (30) has the solution

q
−2(±𝜆 1,2 ) ± 4(𝜆 1,2 ) 2 − 4( 6𝑙 ± 𝜇 + 2𝑦 1,2,3 )
𝑘 1,2,3,4 = (31)
2
where, 𝜆 1,2 represents any one of the values 𝜆 1 , 𝜆 2 and 𝑦 1,2,3 represents any one of the three
solutions 𝑦 1 , 𝑦 2 and 𝑦 3 . Thus, the general solution of equation (24) is given by
𝑏
𝑥 1,2,3,4 = − + 𝑘 1,2,3,4 (32)
4𝑎

3 Discussion
The methodology to solve the cubic and the quartic equations that has been developed in the
preceding sections is simply intended to lessen our effort. In this sense our approach is novel,
though we have employed Cardano’s and Ferrari’s method in our approach. Our non-conventional
method may prove to be useful in solving cubic and quartic as an alternative to the conventional
methods.

References
[1] RWD. Nickalls, A new approach to solving the cubic: Cardan’s solution revealed, The
Mathematical Gazette (1993); 77 (Nov, No 480), 354–359 (jstor).

[2] T. Strong, Elementary and Higher Algebra, Pratt and Oakley (1859).

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