Tartaglia of the Depressed Cubic: A Mathematician's Duel
Prelude: The Mathematical Abyss In the early 1500s, Europe was climbing out of the mathematical shadows of the Middle Ages. Algebra had been reborn through translations of Arabic and Greek works. Yet, one ancient problem still haunted every serious mathematician: S olve the general cubic equation. Specifically, the form of the equation we now call the "depressed cubic": x³ + ax = b This was not just a technical curiosity — it was a badge of honor. Solving it meant ascending into the pantheon of mathematical greats. Act I: Scipione del Ferro — The Keeper of the Secret In the city of Bologna, a quiet, brilliant man named Scipione del Ferro held the position of mathematics professor at the University of Bologna. Around 1515, del Ferro made a breakthrough — he discovered how to solve the depressed cubic. Del Ferro, cautious and soft-spoken, chose not to publish his discovery. He feared scrutiny, misappropriation, and possibly religious controversy. Instead, he passed the m...