About the Algorithms

If your set of equations is purely mathematical, you can use both methods. Otherwise, you cannot. The SetOfEquations capability cannot solve systems using functions such as measures. To solve a system of equations using measures, you must use the Simulated Annealing algorithm or the Constraints satisfaction functionality of the Design Optimization app.

The set of equations is to be specified as constraints and the variables are to be specified as free parameters. This resolution method is quite good although sometimes a bit long and you can use it to solve a broad range of cases. The trick about this algorithm is to adjust the precision and the other algorithm parameters.

The example developed above works well with both methods. Just to illustrate a system that cannot be solved by both methods, you can draw a cube and create two user parameters: CubeSurface (of Area type) and CubeVolume (of Volume type). To calculate CubeSurface and CubeVolume, you can write either: 

CubeSurface = smartWetarea (PartBody\Pad.1)
CubeVolume  = smartVolume (PartBody\Pad.1)
or
CubeVolume = smartVolume (PartBody\Pad.1)

ExpandedError Description

If you try to solve the following system of equations (search for values of a, b, and c), 

a == b+c;
b == -a -c +1;
a > 0;
a < -1

an error message pointing out the contradiction appears.