solving over determined non-linear equation in matlab - matlab

Question

Actually I have to calculate values of 3 variables from probably 8 or 9 non-linear equations(may be more for accuracy).
I was using lsqnonlin and fsolve.
Using lsqnonlin, it says solver stopped prematurely (mainly due to value of iteration, funEvals and tolerance) and the output is far away from exact solution. I tried but I don't know on what basis I should set those parameters.
Using fsolve, it says no solution found.
I also used LMFnlsq and LMFsolve but it gives the output nowhere near the exact solution? I tried to change other parameters too but I could not bring those solutions to my desired values.
Is there any other way to solve these overdetermined non-linear equations?
My code till now:
x0 = [20 40 275];
eqn = #(x)[((((x(1)-Sat(1,1))^2+(x(2)-Sat(1,2))^2+(x(3)-Sat(1,3))^2))-dis(1)^2);
((((x(1)-Sat(2,1))^2+(x(2)-Sat(2,2))^2+(x(3)-Sat(2,3))^2))-dis(2)^2);
((((x(1)-Sat(3,1))^2+(x(2)-Sat(3,2))^2+(x(3)-Sat(3,3))^2))- dis(3)^2);
((((x(1)-Sat(4,1))^2+(x(2)-Sat(4,2))^2+(x(3)-Sat(4,3))^2))- dis(4))^2;
((((x(1)-Sat(5,1))^2+(x(2)-Sat(5,2))^2+(x(3)-Sat(5,3))^2))- dis(5))^2;
((((x(1)-Sat(6,1))^2+(x(2)-Sat(6,2))^2+(x(3)-Sat(6,3))^2))- dis(6))^2;
((((x(1)-Sat(7,1))^2+(x(2)-Sat(7,2))^2+(x(3)-Sat(7,3))^2))- dis(7))^2;
((((x(1)-Sat(8,1))^2+(x(2)-Sat(8,2))^2+(x(3)-Sat(8,3))^2))- dis(8))^2;
((((x(1)-Sat(9,1))^2+(x(2)-Sat(9,2))^2+(x(3)-Sat(9,3))^2))- dis(9))^2;
((((x(1)-Sat(10,1))^2+(x(2)-Sat(10,2))^2+(x(3)-Sat(10,3))^2))- dis(10))^2];
lb = [0 0 0];
ub = [100 100 10000];
options = optimoptions('lsqnonlin','MaxFunEvals',3000,'MaxIter',700,'TolFun',1e-18);%,'TolX',1);
x= lsqnonlin(eqn,x0,lb,ub,options)
**Error:**
**Solver stopped prematurely.**
lsqnonlin stopped because it exceeded the iteration limit,
options.MaxIter = 700 (the selected value).
x = 20.349 46.633 9561.5
Hoping for some suggestions!
Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

I usually model this explicitly:
min w'w
f_i(x) = w_i
w is a free variable
L<=x<=U
It should be easy to calculate a feasible (but non-optimal) solution in advance. If you can find a "good" initial solution that would be even better. Then use a general purpose NLP solver (e.g. fmincon) and pass on your initial feasible solution (both x and w). The best thing is to use a modeling system that allows automatic differentiation. Otherwise you should provide correct and precise gradients (and if needed second derivatives). See also the advice here.