A perfect cube is an integer whose cube root is an integer. For example, 27, 64 and 125 are perfect cubes. If p and q are perfect cubes, which of the following will not necessarily be a perfect cube?

A perfect cube will have prime factors that are in groups of 3; for example 125 has the prime factors 5 x 5 x 5 , and 64 x 125 will also be a cube because its factors will be 4 x 4 x 4 x 5 x 5 x 5

Consider the answer choices in turn.

8 is the cube of 2, and p is a cube, and so the product will also be a cube.

pq will also be a cube as shown above.

pq is a cube and so is 27, but their sum need not be a cube. Consider the case where p =1 and q = 8, the sum of pq and 27 will be 35 which has factors 5 x 7 and is not a cube.

-p will be a cube.

Since the difference between p and q is raised to the power of 6, this expression will be a cube (with cube root = difference squared).