Mathematics & Science Learning Center
Computer Laboratory

Applications of Differential Equations

A Suspended Wire

(continued from last page...)

Your session should have gone like this:

wire2=NDSolve[{y''[x]==(5/40)Sqrt[1+(y'[x])^2], y[0]==0, y'[0]==0}, y[x], {x,-5,5}]

{{y[x] -> InterpolatingFunction[{-5., 5.}, <>][x]}}

wire2=wire2[[1,1,2]]

InterpolatingFunction[{-5., 5.}, <>][x]

wire2plot=Plot[wire2, {x,-5,5},
   PlotStyle->{RGBColor[0,0,1]}]

Now to make the comparison between our two pictures. At the moment, taken separately, the two pictures look identical, unless you notice the scale of the vertical axis. The best way to compare them would be to plot them both on the same coordinate system. So let's go and do that...

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.