Roshan Tishraj
Variables and Arrays
Array: A collection of data values organized into
rows and columns, and known by a single name.
Row 1
Row 2
Row 3
arr(3,2)
Row 4
Col 1 Col 2 Col 3 Col 4 Col 5
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Arrays
The fundamental unit of data in MATLAB
Scalars are also treated as arrays by
MATLAB (1 row and 1 column).
Row and column indices of an array start
from 1.
Arrays can be classified as vectors and
matrices.
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Vector: Array with one dimension
Matrix: Array with more than one dimension
Size of an array is specified by the number of
rows and the number of columns, with the
number of rows mentioned first (For example: n
x m array).
Total number of elements in an array is the
product of the number of rows and the
number of columns.
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1 2
a= 3 4 3x2 matrix 6 elements
5 6
b=[1 2 3 4] 1x4 array 4 elements, row vector
1
c= 3 3x1 array 3 elements, column vector
5
a(2,1)=3 b(3)=3 c(2)=3
Row # Column #
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Variables
A region of memory containing an array, which is
known by a user-specified name.
Contents can be used or modified at any time.
Variable names must begin with a letter, followed
by any combination of letters, numbers and the
underscore (_) character. Only the first 31
characters are significant.
The MATLAB language is Case Sensitive. NAME,
name and Name are all different variables.
Give meaningful (descriptive and easy-to-
remember) names for the variables. Never define a
variable with the same name as a MATLAB function
or command.
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Common types of MATLAB variables
double: 64-bit double-precision floating-point numbers
They can hold real, imaginary or complex numbers in
the range from ±10-308 to ±10308 with 15 or 16 decimal
digits.
>> var = 1 + i ;
char: 16-bit values, each representing a single character
The char arrays are used to hold character strings.
>> comment = ‘This is a character string’ ;
The type of data assigned to a variable determines the
type of variable that is created.
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Initializing Variables in Assignment Statements
An assignment statement has the general form
var = expression
Examples:
>> var = 40 * i; >> a2 = [0 1+8];
>> var2 = var / 5; >> b2 = [a2(2) 7 a];
>> array = [1 2 3 4]; >> c2(2,3) = 5;
>> x = 1; y = 2; >> d2 = [1 2];
>> a = [3.4]; >> d2(4) = 4;
>> b = [1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0];
>> c = [1.0; 2.0; 3.0];
>> d = [1, 2, 3; 4, 5, 6]; „;‟ semicolon suppresses the
>> e = [1, 2, 3 automatic echoing of values but
4, 5, 6]; it slows down the execution.
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Initializing Variables in Assignment Statements
Arrays are constructed using brackets and
semicolons. All of the elements of an array are
listed in row order.
The values in each row are listed from left to right
and they are separated by blank spaces or commas.
The rows are separated by semicolons or new lines.
The number of elements in every row of an array
must be the same.
The expressions used to initialize arrays can
include algebraic operations and all or portions of
previously defined arrays.
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MATLAB FOR DUMMIES
Initializing with Shortcut Expressions
first: increment: last
• Colon operator: a shortcut notation used to initialize
arrays with thousands of elements
>> x = 1 : 2 : 10;
>> angles = (0.01 : 0.01 : 1) * pi;
• Transpose operator: (′) swaps the rows and columns
of an array 1 1
>> f = [1:4]′; 2 2
h=
>> g = 1:4; 3 3
>> h = [ g′ g′ ]; 4 4
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MATLAB FOR DUMMIES
Initializing with Built-in Functions
• zeros(n) >> a = zeros(2);
• zeros(n,m) >> b = zeros(2, 3);
• zeros(size(arr)) >> c = [1, 2; 3, 4];
• ones(n) >> d = zeros(size(c));
• ones(n,m)
• ones(size(arr))
• eye(n)
• eye(n,m)
• length(arr)
• size(arr)
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MATLAB FOR DUMMIES
Initializing with Keyboard Input
• The input function displays a prompt string in the
Command Window and then waits for the user to
respond.
my_val = input( ‘Enter an input value: ’ );
in1 = input( ‘Enter data: ’ );
in2 = input( ‘Enter data: ’ ,`s`);
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MATLAB FOR DUMMIES
Multidimensional Arrays
• A two dimensional array with m rows and n columns
will occupy mxn successive locations in the computer‟s
memory. MATLAB always allocates array elements in
column major order.
1
a= [1 2 3; 4 5 6; 7 8 9; 10 11 12];
4
a(5) = a(1,2) = 2 1 2 3 7
• A 2x3x2 array of three dimensions 4 5 6 10
7 8 9 2
c(:, :, 1) = [1 2 3; 4 5 6 ];
10 11 12 5
c(:, :, 2) = [7 8 9; 10 11 12];
8
11
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MATLAB FOR DUMMIES
Subarrays
• It is possible to select and use subsets of MATLAB
arrays.
arr1 = [1.1 -2.2 3.3 -4.4 5.5];
arr1(3) is 3.3
arr1([1 4]) is the array [1.1 -4.4]
arr1(1 : 2 : 5) is the array [1.1 3.3 5.5]
• For two-dimensional arrays, a colon can be used in a
subscript to select all of the values of that subscript.
arr2 = [1 2 3; -2 -3 -4; 3 4 5];
arr2(1, :)
arr2(:, 1:2:3)
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MATLAB FOR DUMMIES
Subarrays
• The end function: When used in an array subscript, it
returns the highest value taken on by that subscript.
arr3 = [1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8];
arr3(5:end) is the array [5 6 7 8]
arr4 = [1 2 3 4; 5 6 7 8; 9 10 11 12];
arr4(2:end, 2:end)
• Using subarrays on the left hand-side of an assignment
statement:
arr4(1:2, [1 4]) = [20 21; 22 23];
(1,1) (1,4) (2,1) and (2,4) are updated.
arr4 = [20 21; 22 23]; all of the array is changed.
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MATLAB FOR DUMMIES
Subarrays
• Assigning a Scalar to a Subarray: A scalar value on the
right-hand side of an assignment statement is copied
into every element specified on the left-hand side.
>> arr4 = [1 2 3 4; 5 6 7 8; 9 10 11 12];
>> arr4(1:2, 1:2) = 1
arr4 =
1 1 3 4
1 1 7 8
9 10 11 12
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MATLAB FOR DUMMIES
Special Values
• MATLAB includes a number of predefined special values.
These values can be used at any time without initializing
them.
• These predefined values are stored in ordinary variables.
They can be overwritten or modified by a user.
• If a new value is assigned to one of these variables, then
that new value will replace the default one in all later
calculations.
>> circ1 = 2 * pi * 10;
>> pi = 3;
>> circ2 = 2 * pi * 10;
Never change the values of predefined variables.
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MATLAB FOR DUMMIES
Special Values
• pi: value up to 15 significant digits
• i, j: sqrt(-1)
• Inf: infinity (such as division by 0)
• NaN: Not-a-Number (division of zero by zero)
• clock: current date and time in the form of a 6-element
row vector containing the year, month, day, hour,
minute, and second
• date: current date as a string such as 16-Feb-2004
• eps: epsilon is the smallest difference between two
numbers
• ans: stores the result of an expression
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MATLAB FOR DUMMIES
Changing the data format
>> value = 12.345678901234567;
format short 12.3457
format long 12.34567890123457
format short e 1.2346e+001
format long e 1.234567890123457e+001
format short g 12.346
format long g 12.3456789012346
format rat 1000/81
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MATLAB FOR DUMMIES
The disp( array ) function
>> disp( 'Hello' )
Hello
>> disp(5)
5
>> disp( [ 'Bilkent ' 'University' ] )
Bilkent University
>> name = 'Alper';
>> disp( [ 'Hello ' name ] )
Hello Alper
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MATLAB FOR DUMMIES
The num2str() and int2str() functions
>> d = [ num2str(16) '-Feb-' num2str(2004) ];
>> disp(d)
16-Feb-2004
>> x = 23.11;
>> disp( [ 'answer = ' num2str(x) ] )
answer = 23.11
>> disp( [ 'answer = ' int2str(x) ] )
answer = 23
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MATLAB FOR DUMMIES
The fprintf( format, data ) function
– %d integer
– %f floating point format
– %e exponential format
– %g either floating point or exponential
format, whichever is shorter
– \n new line character
– \t tab character
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MATLAB FOR DUMMIES
>> fprintf( 'Result is %d', 3 )
Result is 3
>> fprintf( 'Area of a circle with radius %d is %f', 3, pi*3^2 )
Area of a circle with radius 3 is 28.274334
>> x = 5;
>> fprintf( 'x = %3d', x )
x= 5
>> x = pi;
>> fprintf( 'x = %0.2f', x )
x = 3.14
>> fprintf( 'x = %6.2f', x )
x = 3.14
>> fprintf( 'x = %d\ny = %d\n', 3, 13 )
x=3
y = 13
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MATLAB FOR DUMMIES
Data files
• save filename var1 var2 …
>> save myfile.mat x y binary
>> save myfile.dat x –ascii ascii
• load filename
>> load myfile.mat binary
>> load myfile.dat –ascii ascii
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MATLAB FOR DUMMIES
• variable_name = expression;
– addition a+b a+b
– subtraction a-b a-b
– multiplication axb a*b
– division a/b a/b
– exponent ab a^b
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MATLAB FOR DUMMIES
Hierarchy of operations
• x=3*2+6/2
• Processing order of operations is important
– parentheses (starting from the innermost)
– exponentials (from left to right)
– multiplications and divisions (from left to right)
– additions and subtractions (from left to right)
>> x = 3 * 2 + 6 / 2
x=
9
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MATLAB FOR DUMMIES
Built-in MATLAB Functions
• result = function_name( input );
– abs, sign
– log, log10, log2
– exp
– sqrt
– sin, cos, tan
– asin, acos, atan
– max, min
– round, floor, ceil, fix
– mod, rem
• help elfun help for elementary math functions
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MATLAB FOR DUMMIES
Types of errors in MATLAB programs
• Syntax errors
– Check spelling and punctuation
• Run-time errors
– Check input data
– Can remove “;” or add “disp” statements
• Logical errors
– Use shorter statements
– Check typos
– Check units
– Ask your friends, assistants, instructor, …
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MATLAB FOR DUMMIES
Summary
• help command Online help
• lookfor keyword Lists related commands
• which Version and location info
• clear Clears the workspace
• clc Clears the command window
• diary filename Sends output to file
• diary on/off Turns diary on/off
• who, whos Lists content of the workspace
• more on/off Enables/disables paged output
• Ctrl+c Aborts operation
• … Continuation
• % Comments
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