In arithmetic and algebra, the cube of a number n is its third power: the result of the number multiplied by itself twice:
It is also the number multiplied by its square:
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.
Both cube and cube root are odd functions:
The cube of a number or any other mathematical expression is denoted by a superscript 3, for example 23 = 8 or (x + 1)3.
The graph of the cube function f: x → x3 (or the equation y = x3) is known as the cubic parabola. Because cube is an odd function, this curve has a point of symmetry in the origin, but no axis of symmetry.
A cube number, or a perfect cube, or sometimes just a cube, is a number which is the cube of an integer. The perfect cubes up to 603 are (sequence in the OEIS):
Geometrically speaking, a positive integer 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.