Analysis and characterization of dynamical systems is a common task in computational physics. It
frequently demands new algorithms for finding solutions and new techniques for analysing the
results. Here we review some of these algorithms and techniques in the study of the double pendulum,
which, despite being a very simple mechanical system, can display complex behaviour. Even though it
has been studied before (Yu and Bi 1998 J. Sound Vib. 217 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1006/jsvi.1998.1781]
691736 ; Stachowiak and Okada 2006 Chaos, Solitons & Fractals 29
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chaos.2005.08.032/1367-2630/15/2/023027] 417422 ; Rafat, Wheatland and
Bedding 2009 Am. J. Phys. 77 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1119/1.3052072] 216-23 ; Levien and Tan 1993 Am.
J. Phys. 61 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1119/1.17335] 103844 ), here we present a deeper discussion of the
several methods and algorithms t…