numpy (matrix solver) - python vs. matlab

[Russ P.]

On May 3, 4:59 pm, someone <newsbo... at gmail.com> wrote:
> On 05/04/2012 12:58 AM, Russ P. wrote:
>
> > Yeah, I realized that I should rephrase my previous statement to
> > something like this:
>
> > For any *empirical* engineering or scientific work, I'd say that a
> > condition number of 1e6 is likely to be unacceptable.
>
> Still, I don't understand it. Do you have an example of this kind of
> work, if it's not FEM?
>
> > I'd put finite elements into the category of theoretical and numerical
> > rather than empirical. Still, a condition number of 1e6 would bother
> > me, but maybe that's just me.
>
> Ok, but I just don't understand what's in the "empirical" category, sorry...

I didn't look it up, but as far as I know, empirical just means based
on experiment, which means based on measured data. Unless I am
mistaken , a finite element analysis is not based on measured data.
Yes, the results can be *compared* with measured data and perhaps
calibrated with measured data, but those are not the same thing.

I agree with Steven D's comment above, and I will reiterate that a
condition number of 1e6 would not inspire confidence in me. If I had a
condition number like that, I would look for a better model. But
that's just a gut reaction, not a hard scientific rule.