Can Matlab or Python find a solution to this complex nonlinear equation?

  • Context:
  • Thread starter Thread starter Dustinsfl
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Nonlinear
Join the discussion
Registration is free. Ask a follow-up in this thread, or start your own.
2 replies · 2K views
Dustinsfl
Messages
2,217
Reaction score
5
I let Mathematica run for over an hour but it couldn't solve this equation. Can someone run this in Matlab or Python and see if they can get a solution?

$\alpha = 2\arcsin\left(\sqrt{\frac{10014.6}{2*a}}\right)$
$\beta = 2\arcsin\left(\sqrt{\frac{10014.6 - 6339.06}{2*a}}\right)$

$$
780\sqrt{\frac{398600}{a^3}} = \alpha - \beta -(\sin(\alpha) - \sin(\beta))
$$
Solving for a.

Never mind. NSolve and Solve won't work but FindRoot did for {a,5000}.
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
dwsmith said:
I let Mathematica run for over an hour but it couldn't solve this equation. Can someone run this in Matlab or Python and see if they can get a solution?

$\alpha = 2\arcsin\left(\sqrt{\frac{10014.6}{2*a}}\right)$
$\beta = 2\arcsin\left(\sqrt{\frac{10014.6 - 6339.06}{2*a}}\right)$

$$
780\sqrt{\frac{398600}{a^3}} = \alpha - \beta -(\sin(\alpha) - \sin(\beta))
$$
Solving for a.

Never mind. NSolve and Solve won't work but FindRoot did for {a,5000}.

a=5000 is not a solution.
Graphing it with Wolfram suggests that it will only be zero if $a \to \infty$.
FindRoot is probably doing some rounding and truncation.
 
I like Serena said:
a=5000 is not a solution.
Graphing it with Wolfram suggests that it will only be zero if $a \to \infty$.
FindRoot is probably doing some rounding and truncation.

{a,5000} means look for a solution beyound 5000