Question:
Find the smallest positive integer whose cube ends in $888$.


Answer:
$n^3 \equiv 888 \pmod{1000} \implies n^3 \equiv 0 \pmod 8$ and $n^3 \equiv 13 \pmod{125}$. $n \equiv 2 \pmod 5$ due to the last digit of $n^3$. Let $n = 5a + 2$. By expanding, $125a^3 + 150a^2 + 60a + 8 \equiv 13 \pmod{125} \implies 5a^2 + 12a \equiv 1 \pmod{25}$.
By looking at the last digit again, we see $a \equiv 3 \pmod5$, so we let $a = 5a_1 + 3$ where $a_1 \in \mathbb{Z^+}$. Plugging this in to $5a^2 + 12a \equiv 1 \pmod{25}$ gives $10a_1 + 6 \equiv 1 \pmod{25}$. Obviously, $a_1 \equiv 2 \pmod 5$, so we let $a_1 = 5a_2 + 2$ where $a_2$ can be any non-negative integer.
Therefore, $n = 2 + 5(3+ 5(2+5a_2)) = 125a_2 + 67$. $n^3$ must also be a multiple of $8$, so $n$ must be even. $125a_2 + 67 \equiv 0 \pmod 2 \implies a_2 \equiv 1 \pmod 2$. Therefore, $a_2 = 2a_3 + 1$, where $a_3$ is any non-negative integer. The number $n$ has form $125(2a_3+1)+67 = 250a_3+192$. So the minimum $n = \boxed{192}$.