A Comparison of the Accuracy of Finite Difference Methods and Variational Methods in the Numerical Solution of Partial Differential Equations

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate some of the numerical methods available to solve partial differential equations intractable to analytic solutions with a view towards: 1. Indicating where particular methods appear most applicable, from the standpoints of accuracy, easy of solution, minimum expenditure of effort; and 2. Indicating the accuracy to be expected in the use of two of the more powerful methods investigated as applied to a problem of elasticity