MAT 335-001

SUMMARY INTRODUCTION TO MATLAB

8/31/07

TO GET TO THE MATLAB PROGRAM

1. If necessary, move the mouse to "wake up" the monitor.

2. Click once on the Start button.

3. Move the mouse to the MATLAB 7.0.4 icon and click once.

BASIC OPERATION OF MATLAB

1. Most MATLAB commands are lower case. MATLAB is case sensitive: naming a matrix B is different from naming it b (both of which are OK).

2. The up arrow recalls previous commands, which can then be edited. This saves retyping an entire command.

3. If a command is too long to fit on one line, you can continue the command on the next line if you type three consecutive periods at the end of the first line.

4. Typing 'help' prompts you to select topics you need help on (what they do and the

proper syntax).

5. To exit MATLAB, click the X in the upper right corner of the window, and return the desktop to the original screen. Leave the computer and monitor on.

SOME MATLAB COMMANDS

Here are some (of many) MATLAB commands useful in linear algebra. Lots more will be summarized in future handouts.

Purpose MATLAB

Input a matrix and name it A. Example:

(Put spaces between row entries

and a semi-colon to end a row.) >> A=[1 2 3;4 5 6;7 8 9]

Have MATLAB find the reduced >> rref(A)

echelon form of A

Enter the data or matrix from selected Example: To enter exercise information

exercises in our textbook! from Chapter 1, Section 3

>> c1s3