Basic Features
Running MATLAB creates one or more windows on your computer monitor. One
of these windows. entitled MATLAB. is commonly called the MATLAB deskvop.
This window is the primary graphical user interface for MATLAB. Within the
MATLAB window. there is a window called the Command window. which is the pri-
‘mary place wherein you interact with MATLAB. The prompt >> is displayed in the
Command window. and when the Command window is active, a blinking cursor
appears to the right of the prompt. This cursor and prompt signify that MATLAB is
‘waiting to perform a mathematical operation,
2.1 SIMPLE MATH
Just like a calculator. MATLAB can do basic math. Consider the following simple
example: Mary goes to the office supply store and buys four erasers at 25 cents each,
six memo pads at 52 cents each, and two rolls of tape at 99 cents each. How many
items did Mary buy. and how much did they cost?
To solve this problem with a calculator. you enter
446+2-12 items
4X 25 +6 x 5242 x 99 = 610 cents
In MATLAB. this problem can be solved in a number of different ways, First. the
calculator approach can be taken:
>> 44642
ans =
2Section 2.1 Simple Meth 5
>> 428 + 296
610
Note that MATLAB Goesn’t care about spaces. for the most part.and that muitipli
fakes precedence over addition. Note also that MATLAB calls the result ans.
h is short for aster for both computations
As an alternative. the problem can be solved by storing information in
MATLAB variables:
sers = 4
erasers =
>> pads = 6
pads =
é
>> tape = 2;
>> items = erasers + pads + tape
itens
>> cost = erasers*25 + pads*52 + tape
cost =
610
Here, we created three MATLAB variables—erasers. pads. and tape—t
store the number of each item. After entering each statemsent, MATLAB di
played the results. except in the case of tape. The semicolon at the end of the fine
is MATLAB to evaluate the line. but not to display the answer. Finail
than calling the results ans. we told MATLAB to cali the number of items pur-
chased tems. and the total price paid cost. At each step. MATLAB remembered
past information. Because MATLAB remembers things les ask what the average
cest per item was:
verage_
average_cost6 Chapter2 Basic Features
In all, MATLAB offers the following basic arithmetic operations:
Operation Symbol Example
Addition + 3422
Subtraction - 54.4 ~ 16.5
Multiplication * 3.146
Division Jor\ 19.54/7 or 7\19.54
Exponentiation a 208
‘The order in which these operations are evaluated in a given expression is deter-
‘mined by the usual rules of precedence, summarized as follows:
Expressions are evaluated from left to right, with the exponentiation operation having
the highest precedence, followed by multiplication and division, having equal prece-
dence, and then by addition and subtraction, having equal precedence.
Parentheses can be used to alter this ordering, in which case these rules of prece-
> tape
tape =
2
If you can’t remember the name of « variable, you can ask MATLAB for alist of the
variables it knows by using the MATLAB command who:
>> who
Your variables are: