As we know that square root of a number $n$ can be found by using a compass and a straight edge, given the line of length $n$.
What I want to know is how to find cube root, fourth root, fifth root or any $n$-th root of a number, by using any tools?
Few days ago I learned that origami (an art of folding paper) can be used as a tool to find cube root and even roots of a cubic equation. So I'm wondering about how to find any other $n$-th roots.
How to decide which kind of tools are necessary for the above mentioned operations? Thanks!
Galois theory tells us that the only constructible roots are the $2^n$'th roots. These can be constructed by repeating the square root construction $n$ times. More precisely, if you start with the rational numbers, and allow only straightedge and compass operations on them, you generate the field of constructible numbers, which is characterized by the property of being the smallest field extension of the rationals which is closed under taking square roots. This implies that from a single line segment, the only constructible roots of its length are the $2^n$'th roots.
It is known the origami has enough structure to solve 3rd degree polynomial equations. Another system with the same expressive power can be found in the ancient greek/persian conic geometry. Indeed, roots of cubic polynomials can be found by intersections of conics. See e.g. here.
It is known that some (but perhaps not all) quintic roots admit construction by compass and marked ruler operations, see here, and that all roots which are constructible in this system are of degree 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6.
The general problem of determining what operations one must allow to enable construction of $\sqrt[n]{x}$ is an open problem, it seems. And a hard one at that.