Re: complex cube roots

[kilian heckrodt]

barr wrote:
> It is well known and easy to prove that square roots of complex numbers
> can be calculated using real square roots.  That is you can solve the
> equation (x + iy)^2 = a + ib for x and y using only real square roots.
> My question is, is it possible to calculate complex cube roots using
> only real cube and, if necessay, square roots.  I tried, but the
> equations I got seemed intractible.
Hmm... i guess you are aware of the polar or exponential form for 
complex number and using that for computing roots and you don't want to 
use that method?


A general method for solving cubic roots/equations only using roots can 
be found here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cubic_equation