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Beginning Programming in MATLAB

This document provides an introduction to programming in MATLAB. It discusses how MATLAB can be used for basic math operations and plotting graphs interactively from the command line. However, for more complex calculations, using script files called M-files is more efficient. The key steps for creating an M-file are to open the script editor, type valid MATLAB statements, save the file with a .m extension, and run it from the command line. Functions can also be created as M-files, with inputs, outputs, and a calculation inside a "black box." Repeating statements can be done using for loops, and examples are given to calculate sums and factorials. Finally, calculating the Fibonacci sequence is demonstrated as another example of a

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99 views17 pages

Beginning Programming in MATLAB

This document provides an introduction to programming in MATLAB. It discusses how MATLAB can be used for basic math operations and plotting graphs interactively from the command line. However, for more complex calculations, using script files called M-files is more efficient. The key steps for creating an M-file are to open the script editor, type valid MATLAB statements, save the file with a .m extension, and run it from the command line. Functions can also be created as M-files, with inputs, outputs, and a calculation inside a "black box." Repeating statements can be done using for loops, and examples are given to calculate sums and factorials. Finally, calculating the Fibonacci sequence is demonstrated as another example of a

Uploaded by

Vincent
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Beginning Programming in

MATLAB
MAM1043H

What we know so far?

Can do some basic math (+,-,*,/,^)


Know how to set up arrays/vectors using a
colon operator (x=1:10)
Plot graphs (plot(x,y))
Some basic functions (sin(), log()...)

Is that not all we need??


For the simplest problems, yes!
But... its basically no different to using a
calculator!

More complex calculations require more


steps.
Command line becomes tedious
Key Idea:
Can enter exactly any MATLAB commands in a
script file (called a m-file) and run it from
the command line.

How do we do this?
Create a new m-file: (File\New\M-File)
MATLAB script editor opens.

Type in any valid MATLAB statements.


Must be .m
Save the file (eg. mytest.m)
Run the m-file from the command window
>>mytest

A Very Simple Example


Create the m-file

Execute the m-file

Creating our own functions


Using m-files allows us to create our own
functions.
But... we need to re-interpret what we
think of as functions.

Black Box Functions


Think of functions as a black box that
performs some operation:
The input variable(s) to
the function: x

The function
name: f()

ff

The output variable


of the function: y

y=f(x)
The actual calculation is performed inside
the black box...

The Anatomy of a Function m-file


A function m-file is
identified with
function on the
first line

Save m-file as
f.m

The output variable


of the function: y

The function
name: f()

The input
variable(s) to the
function: x

The calculation of the output variable,


depending on the input variable(s)

Function m-files

Must start with function on the first line.


Must have at least one output variable.
Must have a unique name.
Must save the m-file as the function name.
Must assign a value to the output variable.
We will see some examples soon

Repeating Statements
Often, we want to repeat some operation a
number of times.
Examples you are already familiar with
Series: S = 1+2+3+...N
Factorial: F = 1x2x3x...xN
Taylor Series: sin(x) = x+x3/3! + ...
Newton's method: xn+1=xn -f(xn)/f'(xn)

The for Loop


One of the ways of repeating statements
is by a for loop.
Starting value
Structure:
The indexing variable
forx=Ni:Nf
...
Statements

end;

Ending value

The statements to be
repeated

For Loop Examples


Displays the squares
from 1 to 5

example02.m
example02.m
forn=1:5
forn=1:5
y=n^2;
y=n^2;
disp(y);
disp(y);
end;
end;
Need to keep adding n2
to the sum, stored in S

Calculates the sum of n2


from 1 to 5

Calculates 5!

example03.m
example03.m

example04.m
example04.m

N=5;
N=5;
S=0;
S=0;

N=5;
N=5;
F=1;
F=1;

forn=1:N
forn=1:N
S=S+n^2;
S=S+n^2;
end;
end;

forn=1:N
forn=1:N
F=F*n;
F=F*n;
end;
end;

disp('SUM=');
disp('SUM=');
disp(S)
disp(S)

Making a Factorial Function


Function to calculate N!

But is there is a problem with this?


What about 0! ??

The Fibonacci Sequence

Let us calculate the Fibonacci numbers:


[0,1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21, ]

The each number in the sequence is


defined as the sum of the previous two
numbers:

fk = fk-1 + fk-2

The Fibonacci Sequence

We will store the numbers in a vector f


We also know the first two elements:
f=[0 1];

So we know terms 1 and 2, we need to


start calculating from the 3rd term.
In MATLAB, we would use:
f(k)=f(k-1)+f(k-2);
The kth term of the vector

The Fibonacci Sequence

Still to come
How can we solve linear system of
equations?
Making decisions and logical operations.
Numerically solving differential equations.

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