8/21/2021 MATLAB - Variables
MATLAB - Variables
In MATLAB environment, every variable is an array or matrix.
You can assign variables in a simple way. For example,
Live Demo
x = 3 % defining x and initializing it with a value
MATLAB will execute the above statement and return the following result −
x = 3
It creates a 1-by-1 matrix named x and stores the value 3 in its element. Let us check another
example,
Live Demo
x = sqrt(16) % defining x and initializing it with an expression
MATLAB will execute the above statement and return the following result −
x = 4
Please note that −
Once a variable is entered into the system, you can refer to it later.
Variables must have values before they are used.
When an expression returns a result that is not assigned to any variable, the system
assigns it to a variable named ans, which can be used later.
For example,
Live Demo
sqrt(78)
MATLAB will execute the above statement and return the following result −
ans = 8.8318
You can use this variable ans −
Live Demo
sqrt(78);
9876/ans
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MATLAB will execute the above statement and return the following result −
ans = 1118.2
Let's look at another example −
Live Demo
x = 7 * 8;
y = x * 7.89
MATLAB will execute the above statement and return the following result −
y = 441.84
Multiple Assignments
You can have multiple assignments on the same line. For example,
Live Demo
a = 2; b = 7; c = a * b
MATLAB will execute the above statement and return the following result −
c = 14
I have forgotten the Variables!
The who command displays all the variable names you have used.
who
MATLAB will execute the above statement and return the following result −
Your variables are:
a ans b c
The whos command displays little more about the variables −
Variables currently in memory
Type of each variables
Memory allocated to each variable
Whether they are complex variables or not
whos
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MATLAB will execute the above statement and return the following result −
Attr Name Size Bytes Class
==== ==== ==== ==== =====
a 1x1 8 double
ans 1x70 757 cell
b 1x1 8 double
c 1x1 8 double
Total is 73 elements using 781 bytes
The clear command deletes all (or the specified) variable(s) from the memory.
clear x % it will delete x, won't display anything
clear % it will delete all variables in the workspace
% peacefully and unobtrusively
Long Assignments
Long assignments can be extended to another line by using an ellipses (...). For example,
Live Demo
initial_velocity = 0;
acceleration = 9.8;
time = 20;
final_velocity = initial_velocity + acceleration * time
MATLAB will execute the above statement and return the following result −
final_velocity = 196
The format Command
By default, MATLAB displays numbers with four decimal place values. This is known as short
format.
However, if you want more precision, you need to use the format command.
The format long command displays 16 digits after decimal.
For example −
Live Demo
format long
x = 7 + 10/3 + 5 ^ 1.2
MATLAB will execute the above statement and return the following result−
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8/21/2021 MATLAB - Variables
x = 17.2319816406394
Another example,
Live Demo
format short
x = 7 + 10/3 + 5 ^ 1.2
MATLAB will execute the above statement and return the following result −
x = 17.232
The format bank command rounds numbers to two decimal places. For example,
Live Demo
format bank
daily_wage = 177.45;
weekly_wage = daily_wage * 6
MATLAB will execute the above statement and return the following result −
weekly_wage = 1064.70
MATLAB displays large numbers using exponential notation.
The format short e command allows displaying in exponential form with four decimal places
plus the exponent.
For example,
Live Demo
format short e
4.678 * 4.9
MATLAB will execute the above statement and return the following result −
ans = 2.2922e+01
The format long e command allows displaying in exponential form with four decimal places
plus the exponent. For example,
Live Demo
format long e
x = pi
MATLAB will execute the above statement and return the following result −
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x = 3.141592653589793e+00
The format rat command gives the closest rational expression resulting from a calculation. For
example,
Live Demo
format rat
4.678 * 4.9
MATLAB will execute the above statement and return the following result −
ans = 34177/1491
Creating Vectors
A vector is a one-dimensional array of numbers. MATLAB allows creating two types of vectors −
Row vectors
Column vectors
Row vectors are created by enclosing the set of elements in square brackets, using space or
comma to delimit the elements.
For example,
Live Demo
r = [7 8 9 10 11]
MATLAB will execute the above statement and return the following result −
r =
7 8 9 10 11
Another example,
Live Demo
r = [7 8 9 10 11];
t = [2, 3, 4, 5, 6];
res = r + t
MATLAB will execute the above statement and return the following result −
res =
9 11 13 15 17
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Column vectors are created by enclosing the set of elements in square brackets, using
semicolon(;) to delimit the elements.
Live Demo
c = [7; 8; 9; 10; 11]
MATLAB will execute the above statement and return the following result −
c =
7
8
9
10
11
Creating Matrices
A matrix is a two-dimensional array of numbers.
In MATLAB, a matrix is created by entering each row as a sequence of space or comma
separated elements, and end of a row is demarcated by a semicolon. For example, let us create
a 3-by-3 matrix as −
Live Demo
m = [1 2 3; 4 5 6; 7 8 9]
MATLAB will execute the above statement and return the following result −
m =
1 2 3
4 5 6
7 8 9
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