Back in 1978, I was admitted to Northwestern Polytechnical University.

Chapter 87 Solving Practical Problems Using the Finite Element Method
After the exam papers were handed out, no one cared whether Qin Liang would come or not; everyone started looking down at their papers.

As expected... just as I guessed, it was an all-English exam paper. Apart from the four Chinese characters for "final exam" at the top, everything else was in English, printed on stencil paper. Judging from the handwriting, it must have been set by Professor Sha. The difficulty of the questions... was rather difficult!
No one spoke; the only sound was the scratching of pens on the exam paper.

Time flies by, half an hour, an hour, an hour and a half...

The number of people answering questions dwindled as they struggled with the remaining questions, each one frowning and deep in thought. Even Yang Wei was stumped by the last, most challenging question!

Is this question really designed for freshmen?
The figure shows a design drawing of a certain type of aircraft wing. Based on your knowledge, please build a suitable model and perform static calculations.

This question is highly comprehensive, encompassing mathematics, mechanics, and foreign languages. Moreover, it primarily tests the candidate's abilities, and Yang Wei feels that he has no clue what to do.

He glanced to the side and saw that Zhao Xiaoxia, like him, was also stumped by the last question.

dong dong dong...

Just then, a series of rapid footsteps sounded outside, and everyone immediately looked up at the door, just like when they first arrived for their first class meeting.

Qin Liang has finally arrived!

Zhao Xiaoxia glanced at her watch. It was 9:30. Just as she had guessed, the teachers hadn't let Qin Liang leave earlier, only giving him half an hour. The reason for this was... because there was another exam coming up, and Qin Liang would definitely leave after answering the questions for half an hour!

"sorry I'm late."

"Okay, go ahead, no need to rush." ​​Yu Zhi said with a smile.

Qin Liang rushed to his seat, picked up his pen, and scribbled away...

He barely glanced at the questions before starting to work on them. He didn't even need to do any calculations for the first few fill-in-the-blank and multiple-choice questions, as if he had already memorized the answers beforehand and just filled them in directly!
Yang Wei completely lost interest in doing the problem; all he could hear was Qin Liang's muttering.

"Hmm, this question is easy!"

"So easy!"

Ten minutes later, Qin Liang finished the last question.

"That old Sha is going too far. He's making things difficult for people."

You also find it difficult to put people in a difficult position! Yang Wei relaxed, it seems Qin Liang wouldn't be able to either.

"The finite element method can be done with a natural mesh model, but it needs to be simplified."

Upon hearing this, Yang Wei's eyes lit up instantly. That's right, this was the content of the last class of the semester, and Professor Sha even went overtime! He went on for a full twenty minutes to explain the finite element method. At that time, everyone was just taking notes diligently. When they went to the cafeteria after class, all that was left was steamed buns and pickled vegetables!

Now I realize that this is the key knowledge point for solving the last big question!

The solutions flowed like a spring—no, like a torrent of urine!
Yang Wei also started writing quickly.

Beside her, Zhao Xiaoxia glanced at Yang Wei's answers, her eyes filled with complex emotions. It's over. She couldn't surpass Qin Liang, and she couldn't even surpass Yang Wei. What to do, what to do…

Just then, *smack!*

Qin Liang put down his pen: "Teacher, I've finished, but the last question was a bit difficult. I suggest giving the students some tips on how to answer it, otherwise the remaining time will be wasted."

You said yesterday that you wanted me to do it once to test the difficulty and then give you some advice, so I have to say it today.

Yu Zhi nodded: "Okay, go ahead."

"The last question requires using the finite element method to build a natural mesh model. Of course, building a fine mesh model would be better, as it has a higher approximation, but everyone doesn't have much time left, and I guess we won't be able to finish it." Finite element method, natural mesh!

Understood!
Zhao Xiaoxia was about to lower her head to answer the question when she suddenly remembered something and glanced at her watch again.

At 9:45, Qin Liang finished answering all the questions in just fifteen minutes!

Good heavens, why did I apply to Northwestern Polytechnical University in the first place? Why did I enter the Department of Aircraft Engineering? And why was I in the same class as a prodigy like Qin Liang? This guy is definitely here to crush me.

While sighing, Zhao Xiaoxia hurriedly finished her work. She thought she could probably finish this question in fifteen minutes. She was confident that she could get all the others right, but even if she got a hundred, she still couldn't compare to Qin Liang. Is finishing in fifteen minutes the same as finishing in two hours?

Even for the last question, Qin Liang had to give a hint!
At this moment, Qin Liang had already walked to the podium and placed the test paper on it: "Teacher, I'll go out first!"

"Okay, go to the office. A cot has been made up for you there. Lie down and rest for a while. I'll have someone call you before the next exam."

Is this the treatment for the top student in the class? They can even take a nap during the exam break?
At 10 o'clock, everyone handed in their papers and formed a large circle at the entrance of the office on the floor.

Each floor has an office for teachers to use during breaks. Outside of class, teachers still conduct their formal work in the office building.

Huff, huff... A rhythmic snoring sound came from inside!
Qin Liang actually fell asleep! Everyone's been staying up late for the final exams, their eyes bloodshot, and they can't even sleep soundly. But Qin Liang…

Tang Changhong, Yang Wei, Zhao Xiaoxia... everyone looked at the source of the snoring, but were too embarrassed to disturb them.

"Sigh, I shouldn't have told Qin Liang yesterday. He's so tired, and he still has to come to take the final exam..."

"Sigh, I was going to ask Qin Liang about the last question... By the way, can we ask to see the exam paper?"

After Yang Wei finished speaking, he suddenly ran back to the classroom.

Yu Zhi didn't leave the lectern. Beside her lay the exam papers for the next subject, and she was currently reviewing the papers that had just been taken. Grading was definitely the job of the professional teachers; she was just checking how well everyone had answered. Hmm, most of the papers were filled out—not bad.

"Teacher, I'd like to see Qin Liang's last question."

"Okay." Yu Zhi took out Qin Liang's test paper: "Take a look!"

Yang Wei took it immediately.

"The stringers on the wing surface are mainly subjected to tension and compression, so they can be simplified into two-force bar elements; the wing skin mainly bears in-plane forces, so it can be simplified into membrane elements; although the forces on the louvers are complex, they can be simplified into beam elements with high stiffness... In this way, the entire wing can be simplified into eight parts for calculation, which is really ingenious!"

"Yang Wei, what did you do?"

"I... only broke it down into five parts." Yang Wei said embarrassedly, "It seems I can't get full marks on this question."

"Students, if this test were in Chinese, it would be very difficult for you to pass, so don't be discouraged. Every one of you is great!" Yu Zhi encouraged them.

"Of course we can't compare to our senior brothers, I have to compare myself to Qin Liang!" Yang Wei said. "It seems we still have to work harder!"

"That's right, everyone needs to work hard." Qin Liang walked in unnoticed. "So, after the final exams, would you like to stay at school and participate in our research project? This finite element method can be broken down into hundreds of parts using a computer for calculation, which will make the results more accurate..."

"Okay, I'll stay!"

"I'm not leaving either!"

Qin Liang smiled. Free labor has arrived! *Ahem*, it's for training the students!

(End of this chapter)