Question: Сurse of dimensionality

I'm trying to solve a system of equations thats expressed as a summation (the original has the summation symbol as opposed to 'sum'):

d_actual := solve(W_actual = sum(W_guess(def-asp_rad_inverse[i], E, asp_rad[i]), i = 1 .. n), def);

When n<5, I get an answer after a few seconds, but when n is higher, the program sits and 'evaluates' forever...I've waited up to 30 min. 

Background:

I have a plate with a number of hemispheres on the surface (# of impacted hemispheres given a force = n). Each has a unique radius and they're listed from largest to smallest in 'asp_rad[]'. I have an equation for the deflection of a single hemisphere as a function of Force and material properties that I have rearranged with respect to Force (W_guess(deflection, E, r)). There's an opposing plate that stays parallel to the original plate while pushing down on the asperities with Force W_actual. The total deflection of the opposing plate is the sum of: 1) the difference between the tallest radius and the impacted radius in question (asp_rad_inverse[]), and 2) the deflection of the impacted radius in question. 

I'm attempting to solve for the total deflection of the opposing plate via solving for the 'def' in the summation above, but when I run it, the program is not able to compute a solution.

Thanks in advance.