MATLAB - Overview

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MATLAB (matrix laboratory) is a fourth-generation high-level programming language and interactive environment for numerical computation, visualization and programming.

MATLAB is developed by MathWorks.

It allows matrix manipulations; plotting of functions and data; implementation of algorithms; creation of user interfaces; interfacing with programs written in other languages, including C, C++, Java, and FORTRAN; analyze data; develop algorithms; and create models and applications.

It has numerous built-in commands and math functions that help you in mathematical calculations, generating plots, and performing numerical methods.

MATLAB's Power of Computational Mathematics

MATLAB is used in every facet of computational mathematics. Following are some commonly used mathematical calculations where it is used most commonly −

Dealing with Matrices and Arrays
2-D and 3-D Plotting and graphics
Linear Algebra
Algebraic Equations
Non-linear Functions
Statistics
Data Analysis
Calculus and Differential Equations
Numerical Calculations
Integration
Transforms
Curve Fitting
Various other special functions

Features of MATLAB

Following are the basic features of MATLAB −

It is a high-level language for numerical computation, visualization and application development.

It also provides an interactive environment for iterative exploration, design and problem solving.

It provides vast library of mathematical functions for linear algebra, statistics, Fourier analysis, filtering, optimization, numerical integration and solving ordinary differential equations.

It provides built-in graphics for visualizing data and tools for creating custom plots.

MATLAB's programming interface gives development tools for improving code quality maintainability and maximizing performance.

It provides tools for building applications with custom graphical interfaces.

It provides functions for integrating MATLAB based algorithms with external applications and languages such as C, Java, .NET and Microsoft Excel.

Uses of MATLAB

MATLAB is widely used as a computational tool in science and engineering encompassing the fields of physics, chemistry, math and all engineering streams. It is used in a range of applications including −

*Signal Processing and Communications

*Image and Video Processing

*Control Systems

*Test and Measurement

*Computational Finance

*Computational Biology

Local Environment Setup

Setting up MATLAB environment is a matter of few clicks. The installer can be downloaded from here.

MathWorks provides the licensed product, a trial version and a student version as well. You need to log into the site and wait a little for their approval.

After downloading the installer the software can be installed through few clicks.

MATLAB - Basic Syntax

MATLAB environment behaves like a super-complex calculator. You can enter commands at the >> command prompt.

MATLAB is an interpreted environment. In other words, you give a command and MATLAB executes it right away.

Naming Variables

Variable names consist of a letter followed by any number of letters, digits or underscore.

MATLAB is case-sensitive.

Variable names can be of any length, however, MATLAB uses only first N characters, where N is given by the function namelengthmax.

Saving Your Work

The save command is used for saving all the variables in the workspace, as a file with .mat extension, in the current directory.

For example,

save myfile

In MATLAB environment, every variable is an array or matrix.

You can assign variables in a simple way. For example,

Live Demo

x = 3          % defining x and initializing it with a value

MATLAB will execute the above statement and return the following result −

x = 3