You could say the same for a finite element model. A junior engineer with just 4 years of training can solve, explicitly, the deflection at the center of a slender, simple-simple beam of prismatic section and produce an exact (if slightly incorrect) answer. Building a FEM of the same can solve the problem and take longer (to make the model) with similar accuracy, both of which are good enough for design work.

Only a fool wouldn’t have a FEM around though, as it can solve problem that would take centuries for a human to solve. They may as well make a cartoon with the child digging a 3” hole in beach sand and then showing a backhoe making a jagged edged hole of the same size.

[–] explodicle@local106.com 4 points 9 months ago

Part of the reason this is a great example is you can easily calculate the maximum stress of an I-beam IFF you know where to find the simple formula. Even a dense FEA mesh will always give an answer like 3x4=11.9974, it's worse. The education is how you know which formula to use.