ABSTRACT
There is a class of physical problems which lead to a governing ordinary differential equation containing an unknown parameter. As an example, consider the buckling of a slender rod subjected to an axial load Ρ shown in Figure 1. The deflected shape y(x) is governed by the equation: 1 () d 2 y dx 2 = M EI = − P y E I https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9780429126482/895870a7-d6bd-47c5-9310-bec37b5f2b8c/content/eq376.tif"/> The buckling of a slender rod subjected to an axial load P. https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9780429126482/895870a7-d6bd-47c5-9310-bec37b5f2b8c/content/pg257_1.tif"/>
