THE CUBIC DIFFERENCE FORMULA

(FINDING THE DIFFERENCE OF NEGATIVE CONSECUTIVE CUBED INTEGERS)

A Math Investigation
In partial fulfillment of Linear Algebra





Blacano, Janine R.
Vanslembrouck, Lars
Borromeo, Franz C.











RAMON TEVES PASTOR MEMORIAL
DUMAGUETE SCIENCE HIGH SCHOOL
Mathematical Investigation
SY 2011-2012

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction .
Significance of the Study.
Review of Related Literature
Statement of the Problem
Conjectures .
Verifying Conjectures .
Justification .
Summary
Possible Extensions .





















1

INTRODUCTION


Students nowadays are already very dependable on electronic devices and gadgets to

solve mathematical problems and calculations. They depend so much on using these electronic

devices like cell phones, calculators, computers, adding machines and others. They use these
machines because of the convenience it offers to them, but they might have technical difficulties
thats why manual solving is still a better way for calculating and solving mathematical
problems. And because it uses the human brain, it also enhances the ability of the brain to solve
and understand.


Significance of the Study

Students nowadays depend too much on calculators to solve a certain equation in just
seconds. Some cubes are too large and needs a lot of time to compute. The researchers found a
way to compute the difference of two negative consecutive integers if the minuend is greater
than the subtrahend. Hence, this study is very useful for computing the difference of two
negative consecutive integers easier, fast, and it is not time-costly, and most of all, it doesnt
need the use of calculators.



Review of Related Literature

Cube (algebra)
y=x, for integer values of 1x25.
In arithmetic and algebra, the cube of a number n is its third power the result of the number
multiplying by itself three times:

n
3
= n n n.

This is also the volume formula for a geometric cube with sides of length n, giving rise to the

name.

The inverse operation of finding a number whose cube is n is called extracting the cube root of

n. It determines the side of the cube of a given volume. It is also n raised to the one-third power.

A perfect cube (also called a cube number, or sometimes just a cube) is a number which is the

cube of an integer.

The sequence of non-negative perfect cubes starts (sequence A000578 in OEIS):

0, 1, 8, 27, 64, 125, 216, 343, 512, 729, 1000, 1331, 1728, 2197, 2744, 3375, 4096, 4913, 5832,

6859, 8000, 9261, 10648, 12167, 13824, 15625, 17576, 19683, 21952, 24389, 27000, 29791,

32768, 35937, 39304, 42875, 46656, 50653, 54872, 59319, 64000, 68921, 74088, 79507, 85184,

91125, 97736, 103823, 110592, 117649, 125000, 132651, 140608, 148877, 157464, 166375,

175616, 185193, 195112, 205379, 216000, 226981, 238328...

Geometrically speaking, a positive number m is a perfect cube if and only if one can arrange m

solid unit cubes into a larger, solid cube. For example, 27 small cubes can be arranged into one

larger one with the appearance of a Rubik's Cube, since 3 3 3 = 27.

The pattern between every perfect cube from negative infinity to positive infinity is as follows,
4
n
3
= (n 1)
3
+ (3n 3)n + 1.
Cubes in number theory

There is no smallest perfect cube, since negative integers are included. For example,

(4) (4) (4) = 64. For any n, (n)
3
= (n
3
).
Base ten
Unlike perfect squares, perfect cubes do not have a small number of possibilities for the last two
digits. Except for cubes divisible by 5, where only 25, 75 and 00 can be the last two digits, any
pair of digits with the last digit odd can be a perfect cube. With even cubes, there is considerable
restriction, for only 00, o2, e4, o6 and e8 can be the last two digits of a perfect cube (where o
stands for any odd digit and e for any even digit). Some cube numbers are also square numbers,
for example 64 is a square number (8 8) and a cube number (4 4 4); this happens if and
only if the number is a perfect sixth power.
It is, however, easy to show that most numbers are not perfect cubes because all perfect cubes
must have digital root 1, 8 or 9. Moreover, the digital root of any number's cube can be
determined by the remainder the number gives when divided by 3:
If the number is divisible by 3, its cube has digital root 9;
If it has a remainder of 1 when divided by 3, its cube has digital root 1;
If it has a remainder of 2 when divided by 3, its cube has digital root 8.

Waring's problem for cubes

Main article: Waring's problem
Every positive integer can be written as the sum of nine (or fewer) positive cubes. This upper
limit of nine cubes cannot be reduced because, for example, 23 cannot be written as the sum of
5
fewer than nine positive cubes:

23 = 2
3
+ 2
3
+ 1
3
+ 1
3
+ 1
3
+ 1
3
+ 1
3
+ 1
3
+ 1
3
.
Fermat's last theorem for cubes

Main article: Fermat's last theorem
The equation x
3
+ y
3
= z
3
has no non-trivial (i.e. xyz 0) solutions in integers. In fact, it has none
in Eisenstein integers.
[1]

Both of these statements are also true for the equation
[2]
x
3
+ y
3
= 3z
3
.

Sums of rational cubes
Every positive rational number is the sum of three positive rational cubes,
[3]
and there are
rationals that are not the sum of two rational cubes.
[4]


Sum of first n cubes
The sum of the first n cubes is the n
th
triangle number squared:
For example, the sum of the first 5 cubes is the square of the 5th triangular number,


A similar result can be given for the sum of the first y odd cubes,


but {x,y} must satisfy the negative Pell equation x
2
2y
2
= 1. For example, for y = 5 and 29,
then,




6


and so on. Also, every even perfect number, except the first one, is the sum of the first 2
(p1)/2

odd cubes,

28 = 2
2
(2
3
1) = 1
3
+ 3
3


496 = 2
4
(2
5
1) = 1
3
+ 3
3
+ 5
3
+ 7
3


8128 = 2
6
(2
7
1) = 1
3
+ 3
3
+ 5
3
+ 7
3
+ 9
3
+ 11
3
+ 13
3
+ 15
3


Sum of cubes in arithmetic progression
There are examples of cubes in arithmetic progression whose sum is a cube,

3
3
+ 4
3
+ 5
3
= 6
3


11
3
+ 12
3
+ 13
3
+ 14
3
= 20
3


31
3
+ 33
3
+ 35
3
+ 37
3
+ 39
3
+ 41
3
= 66
3

with the first one also known as Plato's number. The formula F for finding the sum of an n
number of cubes in arithmetic progression with common difference d and initial cube a
3
,

F(d,a,n) = a
3
+ (a + d)
3
+ (a + 2d)
3
+ ... + (a + dn d)
3

is given by,

F(d,a,n) = (n / 4)(2a d + dn)(2a
2
2ad + 2adn d
2
n + d
2
n
2
)
A parametric solution to,

F(d,a,n) = y
3

is known for the special case of d = 1, or consecutive cubes, but only sporadic solutions are
7
known for integer d > 1, such as d = {2,3,5,7,11,13,37,39}, etc.

A cube number (or a cube) is a number you can write as a product of three equal factors of
natural numbers.

Formula: k=a*a*a=a (k and a stand for integers.)

On the other hand a cube number results by multiplying an integer by itself three times.

Formula: a*a*a=a=k (a and k stand for integers.)

The same factor is called the base.

After this a negative number like (-2)= -8 or a fraction number like (2/3)=8/27 are suspended.

If it is appropriate, the number 0 is also a cubic number.

These are the first 100 cube numbers.


Cube Root

It is easy to find a cube number. It is more difficult, to find the base of a cube number.
This procedure is called extracting the cube root of n.

The cube root of a natural number can be written as .





8
Waring's Problem

The English mathematician Eduard Waring (1734-1798) maintained the following statement
among others.

"Every natural number is either a cube number or the sum of 2,3,4,5,6,7,8 or 9 cube numbers."

(2), page 37ff.

That means that 9 is a smallest number.

It can be more than 9 as the following sum of 180 with 64 (!) cubic numbers shows.

180 = 6+7+8+...+67+68+69 (1). Already 4 summands will do, 180=1+3+3+5.

The first numbers

1=1

2=1+1

3=1+1+1

4=1+1+1+1

5=1+1+1+1+1

6=1+1+1+1+1+1

7=1+1+1+1+1+1+1

15=2+1+1+1+1+1+1+1

23=2+2+1+1+1+1+1+1+1





STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
This study aims to find and easier and faster way in solving and computing the difference
of negative consecutive cubed integers especially if it has a high value. And it can answer the
following questions:

1. Is the study an answer to a fast computation in solving the difference of negative

consecutive cubed integers?

2. Is the study practical and simple to use, even for an average student?















CONJECTURES

A. General Procedure

First, all the terms of simple multiplication of integers are fully understood. Even

if the process is similar to multiplication; you still need the knowledge about

multiplication of integers. Then we proceed to the proper steps in finding the difference

of negative consecutive integers. And most importantly, we will use our formula for

finding the difference faster and easier.

So, first, we choose any integer, it must be negative consecutive and a is greater

Than b. Example:







Second, we will find the difference of their cubes. Here:







13

By substituting the variables, here is how to solve:





-23 and -24 , -23 is greater than -24 and they are both
Consecutive negative.
Multiplicand
Multiplier
-23
3
-24
3
, To solve for the difference, we will use our own formula:



,
Substituting the equation,



































13

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

On the research we conducted, the results were successful until 5- digit numbers.

This proves that the formula that the researchers have found out is only precise until 5-

1657

digit negative integers.
































14
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

We have applied our formula using several negative consecutive integers. All the test
results did not have a single miscalculation or a single mistake. As far as this study has reached,
there has been no disapproval of answer . Thus the researchers conclude that this study is
successful and can be officially used, even for average students.

















15

RECOMMENDATIONS

The researchers recommend further computations using other alternative and faster
way in solving the difference of negative consecutive cubed integers. The researchers also
recommend future investigators to look for ways in finding the difference of negative
consecutive cubed integers.