UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MALAYSIA

FACULTY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

SKMM3023 Applied Numerical Methods
Tutorial 3 Solution of Simultaneous Linear Equations
1. Show a Matlab session to determine the tension in each cable used to support the
(a) 40-lb crate shown in Figure 1 (a), and
(b) 100-kg crate shown in Figure 1 (b).
(a) (b)
Figure 1: Crate supported by cables.
2. A steel cylinder, of weight W = 500 lb and diameter 1 ft, is placed in a steel V-block as shown
in Figure 2. When a moment M is applied about the axis of the cylinder, the cylinder starts
to rotate. The force equilibrium equations along the x- and y-directions and the moment
equilibrium equation about the axis of the cylinder, respectively, are given by the following
system of simultaneous linear equations
(R
1
+R
1
) R
2
+R
2
) sin45

= 0 (E1)
(R
1
R
1
+ R
2
+R
2
) cos 45

= W (E2)
6(R
1
+R
2
) M = 0 (E3)
where R
1
and R
2
are the normal reactions at the points of contact 1 and 2, respectively, and
is the coefcient of friction.
Figure 2: Cylinder in a V-block.
Code the Gauss elimination method in Matlab, C or Fortran to nd the magnitude of the
moment M and the reactions at the points of contact between the cylinder and the V-block
(i.e. R
1
and R
2
). Use Matlab to code a comparison. Assume that the coefcient of friction
between the cylinder and the V-block is = 0.25.
3. The Euler rotations , and for the coordinate transformation to (x, y, z)-system from
(X, Y, Z)-system can be expressed as
_
_
_
x
y
z
_
_
_
=
_
_
1 0 0
0 cos sin
0 sin cos
_
_
_
_
cos sin 0
sin cos 0
0 0 1
_
_
_
_
1 0 0
0 cos sin
0 sin cos
_
_
_
_
_
X
Y
Z
_
_
_
(a) Without resorting to any programming tool, use the above relation to nd the values of
X, Y and Z when x = 1, y = 2 and z = 3 with = 30

, = 20

and = 10

.
Hint: You need to nd an inverse of a matrix.
(b) Write a simple Matlab script to solve the same.
4. The nodal displacement of the crane shown in Figure 3 can be found by solving the equilib-
rium equations
_

_
170.4105 37.9473 113.8420 37.9473
37.9473 69.2176 37.9473 12.6491
113.8420 37.9473 120.9131 45.0184
37.9473 12.6491 45.0184 19.7202
_

_
_

_
u
1
u
2
u
3
u
4
_

_
=
_

_
P
1
P
2
P
3
P
4
_

_
where u
i
, i = 1, 2, 3, 4, are the components of nodal displacement (inch) and P
i
is the load
applied (lb) along the direction u
i
, i = 1, 2, 3, 4.
Code the Gauss-Siedel iteration method in Matlab, C or Fortran to nd the nodal displace-
ments when the load lifted is given by 1000 lb (i.e. P
1
= P
2
= P
3
= 0, P
4
= 1000). Compare
your results with Matlab output.
Figure 3: Crane.