MATLAB PROGRAMMING FOR ENGINEERS

CH1: INTRODUCTION TO MATLAB

Matlab Programming for Engineers

Introduction to Matlab
Matlab Basics
Branching Statements
Loops
User Defined Functions
Additional Data Types
Input/Output Functions
Simulink Toolbox
Important Toolboxes (if time is available)
Dr. Nidal Farhat
Mechanical Engineering Department

MATLAB PROGRAMMING FOR ENGINEERS

Objectives:

The Advantages of Matlab

Disadvantages of Matlab
The Matlab Environment
Using Matlab as a scratch Pad

Mechanical Engineering Department

CH1: INTRODUCTION TO MATLAB

MATLAB PROGRAMMING FOR ENGINEERS

CH1: INTRODUCTION TO MATLAB

Advantages and Disadvantages of Matlab

Matlab == MATrix LABoratory
Advantages:

Ease of Use

Platform Independent (All versions of Windows, Linux, Unix, Mac.)

Predefined Functions and Toolboxes

Device-Independent Plotting

Graphical User Interface

Matlab compiler

Disadvantages:
Interpreted programming language, slower than C++ and V. Fortran.
Mechanical Engineering Department

CH1: INTRODUCTION TO MATLAB

MATLAB PROGRAMMING FOR ENGINEERS

The Matlab Environment

Matlab Command Window

User input area
Current directory browser

Also results appear in this window

Command history

Mechanical Engineering Department

MATLAB PROGRAMMING FOR ENGINEERS

The Matlab Environment

Mechanical Engineering Department

CH1: INTRODUCTION TO MATLAB

MATLAB PROGRAMMING FOR ENGINEERS

CH1: INTRODUCTION TO MATLAB

The Matlab Environment

Script files / M-files

Mechanical Engineering Department

MATLAB PROGRAMMING FOR ENGINEERS

The Matlab Environment

The Edit/Debug Window

Mechanical Engineering Department

CH1: INTRODUCTION TO MATLAB

MATLAB PROGRAMMING FOR ENGINEERS

The Matlab Environment

Mechanical Engineering Department

CH1: INTRODUCTION TO MATLAB

MATLAB PROGRAMMING FOR ENGINEERS

The Matlab Environment (Figure Windows)

Mechanical Engineering Department

CH1: INTRODUCTION TO MATLAB

MATLAB PROGRAMMING FOR ENGINEERS

The Matlab Environment (Figure Windows)

Mechanical Engineering Department

CH1: INTRODUCTION TO MATLAB

CH1: INTRODUCTION TO MATLAB

MATLAB PROGRAMMING FOR ENGINEERS

The Matlab Environment (Workspace)

whos
Display the value of any variable in the
WS
clear var1 var2
Double-click any var in the WS browser
Mechanical Engineering Department

MATLAB PROGRAMMING FOR ENGINEERS

The Matlab Environment (Workspace)

Mechanical Engineering Department

CH1: INTRODUCTION TO MATLAB

MATLAB PROGRAMMING FOR ENGINEERS

The Matlab Environment (Getting Help)

Mechanical Engineering Department

CH1: INTRODUCTION TO MATLAB

MATLAB PROGRAMMING FOR ENGINEERS

The Matlab Environment (Getting Help)

Mechanical Engineering Department

CH1: INTRODUCTION TO MATLAB

MATLAB PROGRAMMING FOR ENGINEERS

CH1: INTRODUCTION TO MATLAB

The Matlab Environment (Getting Help)

lookfor: Search the quick

summery information in
each file

Mechanical Engineering Department

MATLAB PROGRAMMING FOR ENGINEERS

CH1: INTRODUCTION TO MATLAB

The Matlab Environment (Getting Help)

help: Search function

name

Mechanical Engineering Department

MATLAB PROGRAMMING FOR ENGINEERS

The Matlab Environment (Getting Help)

Mechanical Engineering Department

CH1: INTRODUCTION TO MATLAB

MATLAB PROGRAMMING FOR ENGINEERS

CH1: INTRODUCTION TO MATLAB

The Matlab Environment

A few important commands
clc:

clears command window

clf:

clears current figure

clear:

clear variables in the WS

Ctrl+c: aborts the execution of the program

exit:

exits Matlab

!(command):

runs the command in the operating system (ex. dir, copy )

save/load (WS):saves and loads the WS

Mechanical Engineering Department

MATLAB PROGRAMMING FOR ENGINEERS

CH1: INTRODUCTION TO MATLAB

The Matlab Search Path

If a command (name) is executed Matlab seeks for:

A variable with the same name in the current WS.

M-file in the same directory

M-file in the any directory in the search path

Mechanical Engineering Department

Sequence is
important

CH1: INTRODUCTION TO MATLAB

MATLAB PROGRAMMING FOR ENGINEERS

MATLAB Math & Assignment Operators

Power:

(^) or (.^)

a^b or a.^b

Multiplication:

(*) or (.*)

a*b or a.*b

Division:

(/) or (./)

a/b or a./b

(\) or (.\)

b\a or b.\a

or
NOTE:

56/8 = 8\56

Addition:

(+)

a+b

Subtraction:

(-)

ab

Assignment:

(=)

a=b

Mechanical Engineering Department

(assign b to a)

MATLAB PROGRAMMING FOR ENGINEERS

CH1: INTRODUCTION TO MATLAB

HW1
The distance traveled by a ball falling in the air is given by the equation

1 2
y y0 v0t at
2
Use the Matlab to plot the path of the ball (y) as a function of time from
t=0s to t=5s, if

Mechanical Engineering Department