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14-Alexandrite
November 26, 2025
Solved

Solve for "a" symbolically, MC11

  • November 26, 2025
  • 1 reply
  • 475 views

Hello All,

 

How do I solve for "a" symollically? "a" represents the maximum cantilever length. (0.125) is the maximum deflection in inches at the end of "a". I have attached MC11 sheet.

SFares_1-1764173706104.png

 

SFares_0-1764173513022.png

Regards,

Sam

Best answer by Werner_E

Prime is able to solve your fourth order equation but its not able to display the result because it feels that its too large to display.

Werner_E_0-1764178736326.png

But you can assign the result a function in the four input arguments.

Once these arguments have values assigned you can evaluate this function. You will get all four solutions. Prime can't know if the results are real or not or which are positive or negative without knowing specific values for w1,E,I and L.

Werner_E_3-1764179494100.png

 

But I wonder why you would bother with symbolic calculations at all. If at the end you are just looking for numeric results its better to use Prime's numeric facilities - like the "root" function:

Werner_E_2-1764178992762.png

 

 

1 reply

Werner_E25-Diamond IAnswer
25-Diamond I
November 26, 2025

Prime is able to solve your fourth order equation but its not able to display the result because it feels that its too large to display.

Werner_E_0-1764178736326.png

But you can assign the result a function in the four input arguments.

Once these arguments have values assigned you can evaluate this function. You will get all four solutions. Prime can't know if the results are real or not or which are positive or negative without knowing specific values for w1,E,I and L.

Werner_E_3-1764179494100.png

 

But I wonder why you would bother with symbolic calculations at all. If at the end you are just looking for numeric results its better to use Prime's numeric facilities - like the "root" function:

Werner_E_2-1764178992762.png

 

 

SFares14-AlexandriteAuthor
14-Alexandrite
November 26, 2025

Thank you Werner for providing different  options. How did you get a_solution function to evaluate?

SFares_0-1764183272693.png

Regards,
Sam

25-Diamond I
November 26, 2025

@SFares wrote:

Thank you Werner for providing different  options. How did you get a_solution function to evaluate?


First I tried with "simplify" but I cancelled the operation because it took too long. Without "simplify" it finished within a reasonable time.