meshgrid

Rectangular grid in 2-D and 3-D space

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Syntax
[X,Y] = meshgrid(xgv,ygv)
[X,Y,Z] = meshgrid(xgv,ygv,zgv)
[X,Y] = meshgrid(gv)
[X,Y,Z] = meshgrid(gv)

Description
replicates the grid vectors xgv and ygv to produce a full grid.
This grid is represented by the output coordinate arrays X and Y. The output coordinate
arrays X and Ycontain copies of the grid vectors xgv and ygv respectively. The sizes of the
output arrays are determined by the length of the grid vectors. For grid
vectors xgv and ygv of length M and Nrespectively, X and Y will have N rows
and M columns.
[X,Y] = meshgrid(xgv,ygv)

[X,Y,Z] = meshgrid(xgv,ygv,zgv) produces three-dimensional coordinate arrays. The

output coordinate arrays X, Y, and Z contain copies of the grid vectors xgv, ygv,
and zgv respectively. The sizes of the output arrays are determined by the length of the grid
vectors. For grid vectors xgv, ygv, and zgv of length M, N, and P respectively, X, Y,
and Z will have N rows, M columns, and Ppages.

is the same as [X,Y] = meshgrid(gv,gv). In other words, you can

reuse the same grid vector in each respective dimension. The dimensionality of the output
arrays is determined by the number of output arguments.
[X,Y] = meshgrid(gv)

is the same as [X,Y,Z] = meshgrid(gv,gv,gv). Again, the

dimensionality of the output arrays is determined by the number of output arguments.
[X,Y,Z] = meshgrid(gv)

The output coordinate arrays are typically used to evaluate functions of two or three
variables. They are also frequently used to create surface and volumetric plots.
Input Arguments
xgv,ygv,zgv

Grid vectors specifying a series of grid point coordinates in

the x, y and z directions, respectively.

gv

Generic grid vector specifying a series of point coordinates.

Output Arguments
X,Y,Z

Output arrays that specify the full grid.

Examples
2-D Grid From Vectors

Create a full grid from two monotonically increasing grid vectors:

[X,Y] = meshgrid(1:3,10:14)
X=
1

Y=
10

10

10

11

11

11

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12

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14

14

14

Plot 3-D Functional Surface

Use meshgrid to create a gridded

(X,Y) domain.

[X,Y] = meshgrid(-2:.2:2, -2:.2:2);

Evaluate the function

results.
Z = X .* exp(-X.^2 - Y.^2);
surf(X,Y,Z)

over this domain and generate a surface plot of the

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