document.write( "Question 572491: y^3-1/8
\n" ); document.write( "I see that it is 1/2 or 0.5. but i don't understand how people are getting that. Will you please explain to me how 1/2 comes about? \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #368428 by KMST(5399) $\"\"$ $\"About$

You can put this solution on YOUR website!
I assume that you mean that
\n" ); document.write( " $\"y%5E3-1%2F8\"$ has a zero at 1/2 and that 1/2=0.5
\n" ); document.write( "The equations $\"y%5E3-1%2F8=0\"$ , $\"y%5E3-1%2F8%2B1%2F8=0%2B1%2F8\"$ and $\"y%5E3=1%2F8\"$ are equivalent.
\n" ); document.write( "The only solution is $\"y=1%2F2\"$ , because
\n" ); document.write( " $\"%281%2F2%29%5E3=%281%2F2%29%281%2F2%29%281%2F2%29=%281%2A1%2A1%29%2F%282%2A2%2A2%29=1%2F8\"$
\n" ); document.write( "and the only real number that cubed equals $\"1%2F8\"$ is $\"1%2F2\"$ .
\n" ); document.write( "From another angle:
\n" ); document.write( "In polynomials, one of the special products is difference of cubes. The book may say
\n" ); document.write( " $\"a%5E3-b%5E3=%28a-b%29%28a%5E2%2Bab%2Bb%5E2%29\"$
\n" ); document.write( "Applied to $\"y%5E3-1%2F8=y%5E3-%281%2F2%29%5E3\"$ ,
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