This document provides an introduction and overview of key functions and capabilities in MATLAB. It describes how to perform basic operations and calculations, use plotting and programming features, work with vectors and matrices, and utilize common MATLAB functions. Key points covered include how to get help, change directories, clear variables, perform calculations, create scripts and functions, use flow control, plot data, index vectors and matrices, and more.

1. INTRODUCTION TO MATLABTM
http://www.matlab.com
General instructions
Open the Matlab program and input commands into the text-based window.
Type help <function name> to obtain information on Matlab functions.
Example help sin will provide information on the sin function.
lookfor <keyword> to do a key word search.
Ctrl + C to abort command.
pwd shows the current working director.
dir shows a file listing.
cd changes directory to the one specified e.g. cd a: will change to the a drive.
who displays the variables in the workspace.
clear clears the working directory.
Calculations using Matlab
Calculations may be done in the Matlab Environment using the following operators
+, -, *, / which represent addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
Other useful mathematical functions are sqrt, ^, sin, asin, cos, acos, tan,
atan, log(base e) log10(base 10), abs, angle.
Programming environment
Variable names may be used for example if we let a=1, b=3, c=4, we can then set d=a+b+c.
d will equal 8. Variable names are case sensitive, can have up to 31 characters, they must start
with a letter and cannot contain punctuation.
Plotting functions
Results may be plotted using the plot, subplot, axis and hold functions. Plot
details can be included using the title, xlabel and ylabel functions
Two vectors (list of numbers) e.g. V for voltage and I for current with 20 elements each can
be plotted using the following syntax.
plot(I,V), title('Ohms Law'), xlabel('Current / Amps'),
ylabel('Voltage / Volts’).
A vector (list of numbers) with a variable name V is written into Matlab as
V = [ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ] note space between numbers.
Script m-files
A sequence of Matlab commands can be put together and run in sequence by saving a text file
with the commands as an m-file. There is a convenient text editor in Matlab. Go to file - new
m-file to start text editor or file - open m-file. A very useful command that can be used with
m-files is the input function. Example of how to request information for variable x
x = input(‘Enter value for x (state units) ’)
Comments can be added to the m-file if a % sign is placed before the comment.

2. INTRODUCTION TO MATLABTM
http://www.matlab.com
Vectors and Matrices
Vectors (list of numbers) and matrices are conveniently formed in rows. Square brackets
enclose the vector or matrix, commas separate elements of a row and semicolons separate
rows ( the commas can be excluded if a space is left between row elements).
Vector A=[ 2, 3, 4 ] or A=[ 2 3 4 ]
Matrix B=[ 3, 5, 6 ; 2, 6, 3 ] or B=[ 3 5 6 ; 2 6 3 ]
To transpose a vector or matrix use the ' operator.
Functions for producing vectors and matrices are:
rand, round, max, min, colon, linespace, logspace, zeros and
ones.
Matrix operations Operaion Matlab Element by Element
Addition A + B A + B A + B
Subtraction A - B A - B A - B
Multiplication A x B A * B A .* B
Division A / B A / B A ./ B
Indexing elements of vectors and matrices:
The first element of a vector is indexed by, 1 and the top left corner of a matrix is indexed by
(1,1)
Indexing examples a=A(2) will make variable a =3, b = B(2,2) will make variable b = 6.
Flow Control
Matlab has a number of flow control functions similar to standard programming languages
such as C programming e.g. for, while, and if else.
Function files
Function files are similar, to m-files except they have a formal set of input and output
variables. They are similar to sub routines in other programming languages.
The first line of the script must have the following format:
function [outputVariableList] = functionName(inputVariableList)
the m file name must be the same as the functionName

3. INTRODUCTION TO MATLABTM
http://www.matlab.com
Short list of Matlab Functions
function example comment
- x = (6-3) subtraction
% % code comments used to enter comments in m-file or
function
* x = (2*3) multiplication, use brackets for clarity
.* z = x.*y element by element vector or matrix
multiplication, note dot before *
./ z = x./y element by element division
/ x = (4/2) division
^ x = 2^3 2 to the power of 3
+ x = (2+4) addition
abs x = abs(3+4j) magnitude of a complex number
acos x = acos(0.5) inverse cos, note answer is in radians
angle x = angle(3+4j) angle of a complex number
asin x = asin(0.5) inverse sin, note answer is in radians
cd cd a: change directory or drive
clear clear empty workspace
conj x = conj(3+4j) conjugate of 3+4j
conv y = conv([1 2],[ 1 2 1]) convolution or polynomial multiplication
cos x = cos(1.5) cos of an angle, note angle should be in
radians
deconv x = deconv( [1 2 1],[1 2]) polynomial division
dir dir list files
exp x = exp(-0.5) e to the power of -0.5, note e
= 2.7183
freqs [h,w] = freqs(b,a) frequency resposne of Transfer Function
b = laplace numerator coefficients and a
= denominator coefficients use with
semilogx
function function c = myadd(a,b)
%help comments here
c=a+b
fprintf('answer = %g',c)
funtion to add two numbers, fprintf
provides formatted output, file name
should be same as fucntion name
myadd.m
ginput ginput(n) extract n x-y points from graphs
help help rand help will provide help on function
specified

4. INTRODUCTION TO MATLABTM
http://www.matlab.com
hold on hold on allows multiple plots on the one graph
imag b = imag(z) imaginary part of z
input x = input('request data from user') used to request data from user, data given
to variable x
length lx = length(x) determine the length of vector x, number
of values
log x = log(20) log to the base e
log10 x = log10(20) log to the base10
lookfor lookfor rand lookfor will find information on the text
string specified
max [m,i] = max([ 1 2 4 2]) maximium value and position
plot plot(x,y) plots vectors y against x
pwd pwd shows current directory
rand x = rand(1,20) 20 random numbers between 0-1
real a = real(z) real part of complex number z
residue [R P K]=residue(1, [1 2 1]) determine partial fraction expansion of
transfer fucntion
roots x=roots( [1 2 1]) roots of polynomial with coefficients [1 2
1]
semilogx semilogx(w,h) plots linear y axis against log x axis
sin x = sin(1.5) sin of an angle, note angle should be in
radians
sqrt x = sqrt(9) square root of a number
stem stem(n,v) Discrete signal plot
subplot subplot(2,2,1), plot(x,y),
title('info'),xlabel('info'),ylabel('info')
2 x 2 set of plots
sum x = sum(x) Add values of vector x
title title('plot title') title for plot
who who shows variables in workspace
x' x' transpose vector or matrix x
xlable xlabel('x label information') x lable quantity / units
ylabel ylabel('y label information') y label quantity / units