An Analogue Computer for the Solution of Linear Simultaneous Equations

Abstract

Linear simultaneous equations occur frequently in science and in engineering. Their solution by numerical methods is straightforward, but the amount of work required increases rapidly with the number of unknowns. A device is described for the solution of systems of linear simultaneous equations with not more than twelve unknowns. It is an electrical analogue computer which accepts the problem information in digital form from a set of punched cards. This facilitates the preparation, checking, and insertion of the input data and greatly reduces some of the usual liabilities of an analogue device. No special preparation of the problem is required, other than a simple one of scaling the coefficients. Solutions of well-determined problems are easily and rapidly attained and may be refined to any desired accuracy by a simple iteration procedure.