A question about the term "depressed cubic" The depressed cubic equation is a cubic equation of the form $x^3+px+q=0$. This expression sounds strange especially for someone that English is not his mother tongue. Why this equation is called "depressed"? What is so depressing in it? Thanks! 
 A: The coefficient of the quadratic term has been "depressed" to zero:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cubic_function#Reduction_to_a_depressed_cubic
Depress also has the meaning of "reduce": 
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/depress
A: 
Why this equation is called "depressed"? 

It is from latin deprimitur : lowered.
It seems that the terminology was intoduced by François Viète (1540 – 1603) into his posthumous :


*

*Francisci Vietae Fontenaeensis ab aequationum recognitione et emendatione (1615), page 79:



Anastrophe [anastrophe] is the transformation of inverse negative equations into their correlatives. It is carried out so that the original equation, with the help of its correlative, can be reduced [reducatur ad depressiorem] [...] to a lower [power] and, therefore, be more easily solved. [...] The work of anastrophe is performed this way : [...] and the equation, otherwise soluble only with difficulty, can depressed [deprimitur] to one that is easily solved by means of a pretty operation.

