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If $a + b + c = 0$, what is the value of $a^3 + b^3 + c^3$?

A$3abc$
B$-3abc$
C$0$
D$abc$
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: A. $3abc$
The identity $a^3+b^3+c^3-3abc=(a+b+c)(a^2+b^2+c^2-ab-bc-ca)$ has right-hand side zero when $a+b+c=0$. Therefore $a^3+b^3+c^3=3abc$, so option A is correct. The sum being zero does not by itself imply that the sum of cubes is zero.
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