INTRODUCTION TO MATLAB

MATLAB is a software package for high performance numerical computation and

visualization. It provides an interactive environment with hundreds of built in function for
technical computation, graphics and animations. MATLAB stands for MATrix LABoratory.

MATLAB’s built in functions provide excellent tools for linear algebraic computations data
analysis, signal processing, optimization, numerical solution of scientific computations. There
are numerous functions for two dimensional and three dimensional graphics as well as for
animations. The basic building block of MATLAB is matrix. The fundamental data type is
array, vector, scalar, real matrix and complex matrix are all automatically handled as special
cases of basic data types. The vectorised commands or codes run much faster in MATLAB.

BASICS OF MATLAB

The general structure of MATLAB environment.

MATLAB WINDOWS: On almost all systems MATLAB work through three basics windows.

 MATLAB Desktop: This is where the MATLAB puts us when we launch it.
MATLAB desktop by default consist of following sub-windows:

 Command Window: This is main window. It is characterized by MATLAB command

prompt(>>), All commands including this for running user written programs are typed
in this window at MATLAB prompt in MATLAB7;this window is part of MATLAB
window that contains three other smallest windows.

 Current Directory: This is where all files from the current directory are listed. We can
do file navigation here to see the options. Click the right button of mouse after selecting
a file. We can run M-files, remove them, delete them etc.

 Work Space: This sub-window lists all variables that we have generated so far and
shows their types and sizes. We can do various things with phase variables such as
plotting and then using the right button on the mouse to select our option.

 Command History: All commands typed on MATLAB prompt in the command

window yet recorded, even a cross multiple session in this window. We can select a set
of commands from this windows and create an M-file with right click of mouse.

 Figure Window: The output of all graphics, commands typed in the commands
windows are flushed to the graphics or figure window, a separate gray window with
white background colour. The user can create as many figure windows as the system
memory will allow
  Editor Window: This is where we write, edit, create and save our programs in files
called M-files by using any text editor to carry out these tasks. On most systems
MATLAB provides its own built in editor. However we can use our editor by typing the
standard file editing commands that we normally use our system.

ONLINE HELP

 Online documentation- MATLAB provides online help for all its built in functions
and programming language constructs such as help, lookfor, helpdesk and helpwin.
 Demo- MATLAB has a demonstration program that shows many of its features which
includes type demo at MATLAB prompt to invoke demonstration programs and follow
the instruction on the screen.