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Cubic Equation Solver

Find all real roots of any cubic equation a·x³ + b·x² + c·x + d = 0 instantly.

Real roots
1, 2, 3
Found 3 distinct real roots of x³ + (-6)·x² + (11)·x + (-6) = 0. A cubic always has at least one real root; repeated roots are listed once.

How it works

  1. 1Enter the four coefficients a, b, c, and d for your cubic equation a·x³ + b·x² + c·x + d = 0.
  2. 2The solver applies Cardano’s method and the trigonometric form for three-root cases to find every real root.
  3. 3Roots are sorted ascending and de-duplicated, so a repeated root appears only once in the result.

Use cases

  • Solve cubic polynomial equations that arise in physics, engineering, and geometry problems.
  • Verify roots found by hand or check the output of a computer-algebra system for simple cubics.
  • Explore how changing coefficients shifts the roots of a cubic — useful for algebra students.

Frequently asked questions

Can a cubic equation have no real roots?

No — every cubic with real coefficients has at least one real root, because the curve runs from −∞ to +∞ and must cross the x-axis. It may have one or three real roots (counting multiplicity).

What does a repeated root mean here?

A repeated root occurs when the cubic touches the x-axis without crossing it. The solver lists each distinct value once, so a root of multiplicity 2 or 3 still appears as a single entry.

What happens if a = 0?

Setting a to 0 reduces the equation to a quadratic b·x² + c·x + d = 0, which the solver handles automatically using the quadratic formula.

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