Mathematics & Science Learning Center
Computer Laboratory

Applications of Differential Equations

A Suspended Wire

(continued from last page...)

Assuming everything went according to plan, you should now have a result looking pretty much like this:

wire1plot=Plot[wire1,{x,-5,5},
  PlotStyle->RGBColor[1,0,0]]

This graph is practically identical to the one produced when we solved the problem analytically. Once again, at first glance the curvature of the wire may seem a little large, but if you note the relative scales on the two axes, you'll see that the depth of the curve is nothing like as large as the picture makes it appear.

If you didn't get this result you might need to retrace your steps to track down the mistake.

We now want to investigate more closely the affect produced when we play around with the two parameters, w and T_P, which physically govern the shape that the wire assumes. So, moving on...

If you're lost, impatient, want an overview of this laboratory assignment, or maybe even all three, you can click on the compass button on the left to go to the table of contents for this laboratory assignment.