MATLAB - Lecture # 2

Creating Arrays
Topics Covered:
1. Creating arrays of numbers (vectors
and matrices).
2. Array addressing.
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Arrays of numbers are used in many applications. 28
Examples:
Arrays of numbers can represent data:

Year 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996

Population 127 130 136 145 158 178 211

Array of numbers can represent a vector.

An example is a position vector. The location of point P in a three
dimensional space can be represented by
the three Cartesian coordinates 2, 4, and 5. z

A position vector that points to the A(2, 4, 5)

rA
location of point A relative to point O
(the origin of the coordinate system) O 5
in defined by: x
4 y
rA = 2i + 4j + 5k 2
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In MATLAB, a vector, or any list of numbers, can be 28
entered in a horizontal (row) or vertical (column)
vectors.
For example, the population data in the previous slide can be entered
in rows:
[1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996]
[127 130 136 145 158 178 211]
or in columns:
1984 127  The position vector
1986 130  can be entered in a:
   
1988 136 
    row: [2 4 5]
1990 145 
1992 158  column:
     2
1994 178   4
1996 211  
   
5 
 28-
CREATING A VECTOR IN MATLAB 29
A vector is created by typing the elements (numbers) inside
square brackets [ ].
To create a row vector type a space or a comma between the
elements inside the square brackets.

>> yr=[1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996] Type and press Enter
yr = Computer response
1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994
1996
>> pntAH = [2,4,5] Type and press Enter
pntAH =
Computer response
2 4 5

NOTE: MATLAB is not “picky” about how the data is typed in. You
can type spaces before and/or after the = sign. Between the
elements you can have a space in addition to the comma, or you
can type more than one space.
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29
To create a column vector type a left bracket [ and
then enter the elements with a semicolon between them,
or press Enter after each element. Type a right bracket ]
after the last element.

>> pop = [127; 130; 136; 145; 158; 178; 211] Type and press Enter
pop =
Computer response
127
130
136
Type and press Enter
145 >> pntAV = [2 after the 2, the 4 and
158 4 after the ].
5]
178
pntAV = Computer response
211
2
4
5
 29-
CREATING A VECTOR WITH CONSTANT SPACING 30
In a vector with constant spacing the difference between the elements
is the same, (e.g. v = 2 4 6 8 10 12).
A vector in which the first term is m, the spacing is q and the last term
is n can be created by typing [m:q:n].

>> x = [1:2:13]
x=
1 3 5 7 9 11 13

>> x = [1.5:0.1:2.1]
x=
1.5000 1.6000 1.7000 1.8000 1.9000 2.0000 2.1000

If spacing is omitted the default is 1

>> x = [-3:7]
x=
-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
 30
CREATING A VECTOR BY SPACIFYING THE
FIRST AND LAST TERMS, AND THE NUMBER
OF TERMS
A vector in which the first term is xi, the last term is xf, and the number
of terms is n, can be created by typing linspace(xi,xf,n).

>> u = linspace(0,8,6)
u=
0 1.6000 3.2000 4.8000 6.4000 8.0000
If the number of terms is omitted the default is 100
Type:
>> u = linspace(0,49.5)
press Enter and watch the response of the computer.
It should be:
u = 0 0.5000 1.0000 1.5000 …(100 terms)… 49.0000 49.5000
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32
TWO DIMENSIONAL ARRAY - MATRIX

A matrix is a two dimensional array of numbers.

In a square matrix the number of rows and columns is equal:
7 4 9
3 8 1 Three rows and three columns (3x3)
6 5 3
In general, the number of rows and columns can be different:

31 26 14 18 5 30
3 51 20 11 43 65 Four rows and six columns (4x6)
28 6 15 61 34 22
14 58 6 36 93 7

(mxn) matrix has m rows and n columns

(mxn) is called the size of the matrix
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32
CREATING A MATRIX IN MATLAB
A Matrix is created by typing the elements (numbers) row by row
inside square brackets [ ].
Type the left bracket [ , then type in the first row separating the
elements with spaces or commas. To type the next row type a
semicolon or press Enter. Type the right bracket ] at the end of
the last row.

>> a = [5 35 43; 4 76 81; 21 32 40] Type and press Enter

a=
5 35 43
4 76 81 Computer response
21 32 40

>> b = [7 2 76 33 8 Type and press Enter

1 98 6 25 6 after each row and
5 54 68 9 0] after the ].
b=
7 2 76 33 8
1 98 6 25 6 Computer response
5 54 68 9 0
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THE TRANSPOSE OPERATION 34
The transpose operation ‘

For a vector: Converts a row vector to a column vector, or vice versa.

For a matrix: Interchanges the rows and columns.

Example for a vector:

>> a = [3 8 1]
a=
3 8 1
>> b = a'
b=
3
8
1
 33-
THE TRANSPOSE OPERATION 34
Example for a matrix:

>> c = [2 55 14 8; 21 5 32 11; 41 64 9 1]
c=
2 55 14 8
21 5 32 11
41 64 9 1
>> d = c'
d=
2 21 41
55 5 64
14 32 9
8 11 1
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35
ARRAY ADDRESSING (VECTOR)
The address of an element in a vector is its position in the row (or column).
For a vector v, v(k) refer to the element in position k. The first position is 1.

>> v = [35 46 78 23 5 14 81 3 55]

v=
35 46 78 23 5 14 81 3 55
>> v(4) >> v(7) >> v(1)
ans = ans = ans =
23 81 35
It is possible to change an element in a vector by entering a value to
a specific address directly:
>> v(6)=273
v=
35 46 78 23 5 273 81 3 55

Single elements can be used >> v(2)+v(8) >> v(5)^v(8)

like variables in computations: ans = ans =
49 125
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ARRAY ADDRESSING (MATRIX) 36
The address of an element in a Matrix is its position, defined by the
number of row and the number of column.
For a matrix m, m(k,p) refer to the element in row k and column p.
>> m=[3 11 6 5; 4 7 10 2; 13 9 0 8]
m=
3 11 6 5
4 7 10 2
13 9 0 8

>> m(1,1) >> m(2,3)

ans = ans =
3 10
It is possible to change an element in a matrix by entering a value to
a specific address directly:
>> m(3,1)=20
m= Single elements can >> m(2,4)-m(1,2)
3 11 6 5 be used like variables ans =
4 7 10 2 -9
20 9 0 8 in computations:
 36-
USING A COLON (:) IN ADDRESSING ARRAYS 37
A colon can be used to address a range of elements in a vector
or a matrix.
For a vector:

v(:) Represents all the elements of a vector (either row vector

or column vector)
v(3:6) Represents elements 3 through 6. (i.e. v(3), v(4), v(5), v(6)).

>> v = [4 15 8 12 34 2 50 23 11]
v=
4 15 8 12 34 2 50 23
11
>> u = v(3:7)
u=
8 12 34 2 50
 36-
USING A COLON (:) IN ADDRESSING ARRAYS 37
For a matrix:

A(: , 3) Refers to the elements in all the rows of column 3).

A(2 , :) Refers to the elements in all the columns of row 2).

A(: , 2:5) Refers to the elements in columns 2 through 5 in all

the rows.

A(2:4, :) Refers to the elements in rows 2 through 4 in all

the columns.

A(1:3, 2:4) Refers to the elements in rows 1 through 3 and in

columns 2 through 4.
 36-
EXAMPLES OF USING A COLON (:) IN 37
ADDRESSING ARRAYS
Define a matrix
>> B = A(:,3)

>> A = [1 3 5 7 9; 2 4 6 8 10; B=

3 6 9 12 15; 4 8 12 16 20; 5

5 10 15 20 25] 6

A= 9

1 3 5 7 9 12

2 4 6 8 10 15

3 6 9 12 15 >> C = A(2,:)
4 8 12 16 20 C=
5 10 15 20 25 2 4 6 8 10
 36-
EXAMPLES OF USING A COLON (:) IN 37
ADDRESSING ARRAYS (CONT.)
A= >> E = A(2:4,:)
1 3 5 7 9 E=
2 4 6 8 10 2 4 6 8 10
3 6 9 12 15 3 6 9 12 15
4 8 12 16 20 4 8 12 16 20
5 10 15 20 25 >> D = A(:, 2:5)
>> F = A(1:3,2:4)
D=
F=
3 5 7 9
3 5 7
4 6 8 10
4 6 8
6 9 12 15
6 9 12
8 12 16 20
10 15 20 25
 33,
SOME USEFUL NOTES ABOUT VARIABLES 42
 All variables in MATLAB are arrays. A scalar is an array with one
element, a vector is an array with one row or one column of
elements, and a matrix is an array of rows and columns of
elements.

 The variable type is defined by the input when the variable is

created.

 The element (scalar) or elements (vector, matrix) of a variable can

be numbers (real or complex), or expressions.

 The “who” command shows what variables are currently stored in

the memory.

The “whos” command lists the the variables currently stored in the
memory, their type, and the amount of memory used by each.
 42-
EXAMPLE 43
>> a = 7
a=
>> who
7
Your variables are:
>> E = 3
E=
E a d g
3
>> whos
>> d = [5 a+E 4 E^2]
Name Size Bytes Class
d=
5 10 4 9
E 1x1 8 double array
a 1x1 8 double array
>> g = [a a^2 13; a*E 1 a^E]
d 1x4 32 double array
g=
g 2x3 48 double array
7 49 13
Grand total is 12 elements using 96 bytes
21 1 343