Find a cubic polynomial. If $f(x)$ is a polynomial of degree three with leading coefficient $1$ such that $f(1)=1$, $f(2)=4$, $f(3)=9$, then $f(4)=?,\ f(6/5)=(6/5)^3?$
I attempt:
I managed to solve this by assuming polynomial to be of the form $f(x)=x^3+ax^2+bx+c$, then getting the value of $a,b,c$, back substituting in the equation and so on....
But we can see:
$f(x)=q_1(x-1)+1\\f(x)=q_2(x-2)+4\\f(x)=q_3(x-3)+9$ 
Also when we put $x=1$ we get $f(1)=1^2$, when $x=2$ then $f(2)=2^2$, when $x=3$ then $f(3)=3^2$ but $f(4)\neq4^2$ (from answer).
Can this information be used to reproduce $f(x)$ directly without using the step I described in very first line of my solution?

Consider $g(x) = f(x)-x^2$. Then $g(1) = g(2) = g(3) = 0$ and $g$ is also a cubic polynomial and has leading coefficient 1. Thus $g(x) = (x-1)(x-2)(x-3)$ and hence $f(x) = (x-1)(x-2)(x-3)+x^2$. It now follows that $f(4) = 22$. Other values can be calculated.
