Introduction to

Department of Electronics Engineering

February 21, 2009

What is MATLAB
History of MATLAB
Why MATLAB
MATLAB Applications
How to start MATLAB
M- File
MATLAB toolboxs
Keys to remember

MATrix LABoratory
Calculator
Interactive
Programming language
Scientific computation and visualization
tool
Symbolic computing tool

Developed by Cleve Moler in

Stanford in 70s
To facilitate matrix and vector
computations
Easier to program than Fortran
Spread by word of mouth
Mathworks, Inc established in 1984
http://www.mathworks.com/

A good choice for vision

development because:

program

Easy to do very rapid prototyping

Quick to learn, and good documentation
A good library for various data processing
functions
Excellent display capabilities
Widely used for teaching and research in
universities and industry

Easy to Learn
Vector formulation instead of scaler
Programmable calculator
Interpreter, Not Compiler - Easy to
debug
Powerful graphics
Add on toolboxes

It allows quick and easy coding in a

very high-level language

Data
structures
require
minimal
attention;
E.g., arrays need NOT be declared
before first use;
An interactive interface allows rapid
experimentation and easy debugging

High-quality
graphics
and
visualization facilities are available;

M-files are completed portable across

a wide range of platforms;

Toolboxes can be added to extend the

system, giving specialized signal
processing facilities and a symbolic
manipulation capability.
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NASA Ames designs computer-aided joystick for

spacecraft docking mechanism with MATLAB
GenCorp's Aerojet Division solves rocket fuel
pressure control problem using MATLAB and
Simulink.
Applied Biosystems develops a crucial DNA
sequencing algorithm in MATLAB
Given Imaging developed M2A , a minimally
invasive intestinal diagnostic tool, by MATLAB

MR Image formation
Fourier imaging ...

B0

MATLAB:
K
C
X
A

M(t)
z

RF

ky

transmit/receive

R + i*I;
ifft2(K); Z = fftshift(C);
real(Z); Y = imag(Z);
abs(Z); P = atan(Y ./ X);

Mag = (X2 + Y2)

kx

B1
x

=
=
=
=

Complexvalued
k-space

-1

T
2D FF
ky

kx

Pha = atan(Y/X)

Matrix calculation
Drawing graphs (2-D, 3-D)
Symbolic/Statistic Computation
Reading data from various sources

i.e. Excel file, .txt file

Provide Graphical User Interface

11

Define Matrix

Matrix Operation

>> determinant=det(A)

Polar plot
t=0:.01:2*pi;
polar(t,abs(sin(2*t).*cos(2*t)));

Line plot
x=0:0.05:5; y=sin(x.^2); plot(x,y);
Stem plot:
x = 0:0.1:4; y = sin(x.^2).*exp(-x);
stem(x,y)
13

Mesh plot:
z=peaks(25); mesh(z);

Spherical harmonic: spharm2

Surface plot:
z=peaks(25); surf(z);

Contour plot:
z=peaks(25); contour(z,16);
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15

Differentiation:
>> g=sin(x)*cos(y);
>> diff(g)

% differentiate w.r.t. x

>> diff(g,y,3)

% 3rd order partial derivative w.r.t. y

Integration:
>> g=(y^2-1)/(x^5+1); int(g,y) % integrate w.r.t. y

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16

Scilab MATLAB emulator http://

www.scilab.org/
develop jointly by Chinese and
French governments
Octave MATLAB emulator http://
www.octave.org/
developed by Univ. of Wisconsin
Mathematica symbolic computation
http://www.wolfram.com/
Maple

symbolic
computation
incorporated in MATLAB
16
http://www.maplesoft.com/

How to start MATLAB ?

To start MATLAB: Programs => MATLAB => MATLAB 7.4

17

Directory
Window:
show the files
in the directory

Command
Window:
where you
input
MATLAB
commands

History
Window:
record what
you have
done

Matlab Window

Convenient to close all window except

Command window
>> command prompt

Working in the command Window

1

Cursor must next to >>

Once a command is typed, Enter key is pressed,
for Execution
Several command in same line, Type comma
between the command, Enter key >> a=2,b=3
Use Up-Arrow key command can be recall
Too long command can be continued in the next
line by typing three periods and press Enter
Command continue total 4096 character

Working in the command Window

2

Semicolon(;):
Typed at the end of command ,the output of the
command is not displayed(>> a=2,b=3;)
Typing(%): before line-Comment
Clc : clear the command window
Execute the calculation according to precedence
(1.parentheses 2. Exponential, 3.Multiplication,
Division 4.Addition & subtraction )
>> 27^(1/3)+32^0.2

+ addition
subtraction
* multiplication
^power
conjugate transpose
\ left division[5\3=3/5]
/ right division
x = A\b the solution of A x = b
x = b/A the solution of x A = b

Display format

User can control Display format :

(Example:290/7)

Format short: Fixed point with 4 decimal

Digit

Format long: Fixed point with 14 decimal

Digit

Format short e: Scientific notation with 4

decimal Digit

Format long e: Scientific notation with 15

decimal Digit

Format short g: Best of 5 digits fixed or

floting point

Format long g: Best of 15 digits fixed or

floting point

Format bank: Two decimal digit

>> format short
>> 290/7

41.4286
41.428571428571431
4.1429e+00
4.142857142857143e
+001
41.429
41.4285714285714
41.43

Display Formats

>> format compact

>> a=5
a=
5
>> format loose
>> a=5

a=

Help window

Help command (i.e. >>Help fft)

Provide information about a specific function

Show input and output argument

Doc command

Content, Index, Search, Demos

Provide information about specific function

Includes example using MATLAB function

Lookfor command : Search for keyword

26

Illustrates the easy and powerful aspects of

MATLAB
Consists of two parts

Core MATLAB

Toolboxes

Core MATLAB desktop, matrices, graphics

Toolboxes financial, symbolic, Signal
Processong, Neural Network .....

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To use
Programs => MATLAB => MATLAB 7.4
Inside MATLAB window, look for
MATLAB prompt >>
Type demo and hit Enter key
On left panel, click + on MATLAB
Click + on any one of the folders
Click on any one of the examples
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Elementary Math Built in Function

Large library of built in function

Function is used, argument can be a
number, variable that has assigned a
numerical value
>> squrt(81), exp(x), abs(-24), log(x),
log10(x), factorial(x), sin(pi), cos(x),
tan(x), cot(x), asin(x), sinh(x)

Rounding Function
Functio Description
n
Round to the nearest
round( integer
x)
Fix(x)
Ceil(x)
Floor(x
)
Rem(x,
y)
Sign(x)

Round towards zero

Round towards infinity
Round towards -infinity

Round(17/5)
=3

Returns remainder

Fix(13/5)=2
Ceil(11/5)=3
Floor(-9/4)=3
Rem(13,5)=3

Returns 1 if x>0,-1if

Sign(5)=1

Scalar Variable

Variable name= numeric value or expression

Variable is name of memory location
If the variable is assigned new value the
content of the memory location is replaced.
Several assignment can be in the same line,
assignment must be separated with comma
Once variable is assigned ,can be used
argument in function.

Example

>> x=15
x=
15
>> x=3*x-12
x=
33

>> a=12,b=4;c=(a-b)
+40
a=
12
c=
48

Rules about Variable name

Variable names:
Can be upto 63 character long
Contain letters,digits and underscore
character
Must begin with letter
Matlab is case sensitive,different aa,aA,AA
Avoid using the name of built in function
for a variable(avoid cos,sin,sqrt)

Predefined variable
ans Variable has the value of last
expression ,not assigned specific variable
Pi
Number
Eps The smallest difference bet two numbers
Inf

Use for infinity

Defined as

Same as I1

Na Not aNumber,0/0
N

Useful Commands for managing

Varible

Command Outcome
clear

Removes all variable from memory

Clear x,y,z Removes only x,y,z from memory

who
whos

Display a list of the variables

currently in the memmory
Displays a list of variablecurrently
in memmory,bytes,class

35

Numbers
Integers (exact): 0, 1, 2,
Real numbers (approximate): 1., 2.1,
3e-8
Complex numbers: i = j = -1
Special values: pi

Special non-numbers: Inf, NaN

35

Arithmetic Operators
Unary: +, Binary: +, -, *, /, \, ^
Strings: Department of Electronics

36

States: true (1, non-zero), false (0)

Logical Operators

Unary: ~
Binary (relational): ==, ~=, >, >=, <, <=,
&, |
Short-circuit: &&, ||

Only evaluates second operand if required

Useful for conditional evaluation subject to
e.g. <test> && <operation> only evaluates
<operation> if the <test> is true.
37

38

Does not require any type declaration

Automatically creates the variable and
allocate the appropriate amount of
storage
Variable assignment operator : =

A=1; a =2*pi;

At end of expression ; suppresses

output.
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+ addition
subtraction
* multiplication
^power
conjugate transpose
\ left division
/ right division
x = A\b the solution of A x = b
x = b/A the solution of x A = b

>> -5/(3.45+2.75)^2
ans =
-0.1301
>> (2+6i)*(2-6i)
ans =
40
>> sin(pi/4)
ans =
0.7071

>> exp(acos(0.3))
ans=3.547
>> b= a* cos(.76);

A = [1 2 0; 2 5 -1; 4 10 -1]
;semicolon starts new row
B = [3,4,5]
;create row vector: , to
;separate elements
C = [A;B]
;insert new row in matrix
D = [A,B]
;insert new column in matrix
E = eye(5)
;create 5 x 5 identity
matrix
F = ones(2,3) ;create 2 x 3 matrix of ones

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B = A
;transpose A
C = A + 3*B
D = A*B
D = A.*B
;element by element
multiplication
E = A^2
;multiply A by itself
E = A.^2
;raise each element of A to
2ndpower
X = inv(A)
;form inverse of matrix

42

Matlab Command
[1,2,3].*[5,6,7]
[10:-2:0]. ^ 2
2. ^ [1:6]
[2,4,6]./ 2
[2,4,6] . \ 2

Output
[5,12,21]
[100,64,36,16,4,0]
[2,4,8,16,32,64]
[1,2,3]
[1.000 0.5000 0.3333]

The Matlab command help elfun gives a list of

elementary math functions
Trigonometric: sin, sinh, asin, asinh, cos,
cosh, acos, acosh, tan, tanh, atan,atan2, atanh, sec,
sech, asech, csc,csch, acsc, acsch, cot, coth, acot,
acoth
Expotential: exp, log, log10, log2, pow2,sqrt,
nextpow2
Complex: abs, angle, complex, conj, imag,
real, unwrap, isreal, cplxpair
Rounding and remainder: fix, floor, ceil,
round, rem, sign

Entering MATLAB Command is not

practical.
Solution : M-File
Script

Function

Collections of commands
use define function
Executed in sequence when called Has input -output
Saved with extension .m

File

New M file

x = linspace(0,2*pi,200);
Y1= sin(x);
Y2 = cos(x);
Plot((x,Y1,x,Y2)
Save as filename.m

To execute the command,

Debug

Run

Accept input argumet and generate

output
dependent_variables =
function_name(independent_variables)
y = x^2-1;
Input

Function

Output

functiony=react_C(c,f)

%react_C
calculates
the
reactance
of
a
capacitor.
%The inputs are: capacitor value and frequency
in hz
%The output is 1/(wC) and angular frequency in
rad/s

y(1)=2*pi*f;w=y(1);y(2)=1/(w*c);
File must be saved to a known path with
filename the same as the function name
andwithanextension.m(i.e react_c.m)
Callfunctionbyitsnameandarguments

Communications Toolbox
Control System Toolbox
Database Toolbox
Model-Based Calibration Toolbox
Neural Network Toolbox
Optimization Toolbox
Partial Differential Equation (PDE) Toolbox
Signal Processing Toolbox
Statistics Toolbox
Symbolic Math Toolbox
System Identification Toolbox
Wavelet Toolbox

; (Semicolon)

Suppress the output of results to the screen

Up-arrow

scroll through previously typed commands

Esc

Clear command line

Ctrl+C

Quit current operation and return control to the

command line

Clear all

Clear all variables

who

This shows all active variables. Try the command whos

save filename

This creates a file filename.mat which contains all

Variables

save filename x
yz

This creates a file filename.mat which contains

variables x y z

Thank You

det(A)

rank(A)

inv(A)

trace(A)

eig(A)

determinant

inverse

eigenvalues

52

Use round brackets and (row, column)

notation
Let a = [1 2 3; 4 5 6; 7 8 9]

Accessing: a(2, 1)

Assigning : a(2, 1) = 0

53

Ranges of numbers:

1:10
0:0.3:2

[1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10]
[0 0.3 0.6 0.9 1.2 1.5 1.8]

Dimensional range:

a(2, 1:2)
a(2:3, 1)
a(2, : )
a(:, 1)
a(:, : ) == a

[4 5]
[4; 7]
[4 5 6] row vector
[1; 4; 7] column vector

54

a = [1:4; 5:8; 9:12; 13:16]

Pick out rows 1 and 3:
a([1 3], : )
9
10

1
11

2
12

4x4 array
4

Matrices can be treated as vectors, with

elements ordered columnwise:
a(1:3:16) = 0
a(1:2:16) = [8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1]
a(16:-4:1) = 1.1*(1:4)
55

Arrays can have more than two

dimensions e.g. A(l, m, n)
Can be created in several ways:

Extension of 2-d array:

A = [1 2 3; 4 5 6; 7 8 9];
A(:, :, 2) = [9 8 7; 6 5 4; 3 2 1];
A(:, :, 3) = 5;
Using Matlab functions:
A = randn(4, 3, 2)
56

u = [3; 1; 4];

3x1 column vector

v = [2 0 -1];
1x3 row vector
Inner product:
x=v*u
2
1x3 x 3x1 1x1
(also known as scalar product and dot product)

Outer product:
x=u*v
6 0 -3
2 0 -1
8 0 -4
3x1 x 1x3 3x3
Cross product:
x = cross(u, v)
[-1 11 -2]
57

Here we want to solve the system of linear equations

represented by A x = b
Use the \ operator to do left-division:
A = [1 2 3; 4 5 6; 7 8 10];
b = [1; 1; 1];
x=A\b
-1.0000
1.0000
0.0000
r = b A * x small numbers!
When m > n (over-determined), \
least-squares solution.
When m < n (under-determined), \
a particular solution.
General solutions can be found using null(A).

58

Arguments specified
brackets and commas:

using

round

e.g. atan2(y, x)

Return values can be assigned to a

scalar, an array, or to an array of
variables.

e.g. a = [1 2 3; 4 5 6];
size(a)
[2 3]
mn = size(a)
[m n] = size(a)
59

Trigonometry: sin, cos, tan, atan, atan2(y, x)

Exponential: log, log10, exp, sqrt
Complex: abs, conj, real, imag, complex
Rounding: fix, floor, ceil, round
Matrix functions

linspace, logspace, zeros, ones, eye

reshape, size, length
expm, logm, sqrtm
sum, prod, diag, norm, det, inv, eig

Random numbers: rand, randn

60

There are two kinds of M-files:

Scripts

Automate a series of steps you need to

perform many times
Have no input arguments or return values
Operate on data in the workspace.

User-defined Functions

Extend the Matlab language for your

application
Can accept input arguments and return
output arguments
Internal variables are local to the function 61

function f = fact(n)
Definition line
% Compute a factorial value.
H1 line
% fact(n) returns the factorial of n,
Help text
% usually denoted by n!
% Put simply, fact(n) is prod(1:n) Comment
f = prod(1:n);
Function body
By convention, name the m-file fact.m

62

63

Upper and lower case characters are not equivalent

(MATLAB is case sensitive).
Typing the name of a variable will case MATLAB to
display its current value.
MATLAB uses parenthesis, ( ), square bracket [ ], and
curly braces { }, and characters followed by up arrow.
You can type help topics to access online help on the
command, functions or symbol topic. Note that
hyperlinks, indicated by underlines, are provided that
will take you to related help items and the Help browser.
If you press the tab key after partially typing a function
or variable name, MATLAB will attempt to complete it,
offering you a selection of choices if there is more than
one possible completion.
You can quit MATLAB by typing exit or quit.

63

64

Weakness of MATLAB

Interpreter slower than

compilers
Clumsy in handling texts
Finite-precision arithmetic
Infinite-precision in symbolic
computations, but slow
Expensive scilab project

64