Chapter 1, Exercise 2, p 45

Part (i)
Substituting x = s + t into the cubic equation x3 = 3px + 2q gives:
(s + t)3 = 3p(s + t) + 2q
(s + t)(s2 + 2st + t2 ) = 3p(s + t) + 2q
3st(s + t) + s3 + t3 = 3p(s + t) + 2q
So x = s + t solves this cubic if st = p and s3 + t3 = 2q

Part (ii)
Since t = p/s then s3 + p3 /s3 = 2q or writing α for s3 gives:
α2 − 2qα + p3 , which is a quadratic in α(= s3 )

Part (iii) √
So α = s3 = q ± q 2 − p3
Since the√equations in (ii) are symmetrical in s and t, it follows that:
t 3 = q ± q 2 − p3

Part(iv)
Given that s3 + t3 = 2q, if we choose the plus sign for s we must choose the
minus sign for tqand vice versa. q
√ √
So x = s + t = 3 q + q 2 − p3 + 3 q − q 2 − p3
which is formula (4) in the book.