Here are the steps to solve this problem numerically in MATLAB:
1. Define the 2nd order ODE for the pendulum as two first order equations:
y1' = y2
y2' = -sin(y1)
2. Create an M-file function pendulum.m that returns the right hand side:
function dy = pendulum(t,y)
dy = [y(2); -sin(y(1))];
end
3. Use an ODE solver like ode45 to integrate from t=0 to t=6pi with initial conditions y1(0)=pi, y2(0)=0:
[t,y] = ode45