A Comparison of Exact and Finite Difference Methods for Two-Dimensional Potential Problems

This paper compares two ways of solving Laplace's equation for reasonably intractable boundary conditions. It is pointed out that the exact method, using the Schwarz-Christoffel transformation, may not be the more suitable, either for teaching or for practical purposes. It is felt that the availability of digital computers encourages numerical methods, which are simpler to use and easier to understand.