TOPIC 2

Vectors and Matrices

Creation
Reference
Modification
Functions

1
 Scalar, Vector and Matrix
• Matlab is written to work with matrices.
• Matrices are used to store sets of values
• A matrix can be visualised as a table of values.
arrays
3 7 5 1 3
7 3 6
2 4 9 3 2 9
8 0 4 6 row vector 5 scalar
3 x 4 matrix Column vector

• Vectors and scalars are subset of matrices.

• A scalar has dimension 1 x 1.
• A row vector have dimension of 1 x n, and a column
vector n x 1.
• Vector and matrix are collectively known as array. 2
 Vectors
Row & Column vectors
Creating
Modifying

3
 Creating Row Vector
Several ways;
a) Put the values of the vector in square brackets
separate by space or coma

>> load=[3 7 5 4]
load =
3 7 5 4

>> dist=[1,3,4,6]
dist =
1 3 4 6

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 Creating Row Vector – cont’d
b) Use colon operator for vector with constant
spacing by specifying the first term, the
spacing, and the last term.
>> load=[1:3:10]
load =
With [ ]
1 4 7 10

>> load=1:3:15
load = Without [ ]
1 4 7 10 13

>> dist=3:7
dist = Default step 1
3 4 5 6 7 5
 Creating Row Vector – cont’d
c) Use linspace function for vector with constant
spacing by specifying the first term, the last term,
and the number of terms.
>> dist=linspace(0,14,4)
dist =
0 4.6667 9.3333 14.0000

Vector variables can also be created by concatenating

existing vectors.
>> a1 = [4 3 6]; a2 = [2 1 5];

>> vec = [a2 a1] >>vec1=[10 a1]?

vec =
2 1 5 4 3 6 >>vec2=[a1;a2]
6 ?
 Referring to Vector Elements
A particular element can be accessed by using the name
and the element number (index/subscript) in brackets.

>>vec=[2 1 5 4 3 6];

>> vec(3)
ans = Single element
5

>> vec3=vec(3:5) Range of

vec3 = elements
5 4 3

>> vec4=vec([2 4 6]) Specific

vec4 = elements
1 4 6 7
Changing Vector element & Extending Vector
Value stored in vector element can be changed by
specifying the index
>> a1 = [4 3 6];

>> a1(2)=7 Element 2

changed to 7
a1 =
4 7 6

Vector can also be extended

>> a1(5)=2 Index specified
a1 = beyond existing size;
note that 0 is padded
4 7 6 0 2

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 Creating Column Vector
To create column vector;
a) Put the values of the vector in square brackets
separate by semicolon (;) or pressing Enter key
after each element typed.

Enter key
semicolon >> disp=[3
>> disp=[3;1;5;4] 5
disp = 6]
3 disp =
1 3
5 5
4 6

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 Creating Column Vector – cont’d
b) By transposing row vector

Use apostrophe ‘ to transpose vector

>> v=[1:2:5]' >> rowv=3:4:11;

v = >> colv=rowv'
1 colv =
3 3
5 7
11

No direct way using colon operator to get column vector

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Matrices
Creating
Modifying
Special Matrices

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 Creating Matrix Variables
It is just a generalisation of creating row and column
vector variables;
• Values within row are separated by either space
or coma.
• Different rows are separated by semicolon or
pressing Enter key.
semicolon Enter key
>> K=[5 4 8;3 9 1] >> k2=[1 5 3
K = 6 4 8]
5 4 8 k2 =
3 9 1 1 5 3
6 4 8

All rows must have the same number of elements 12

 Creating Matrix Variables – cont’d
Rows of matrix can also be entered using colon
operator and linspace function.

>> sv=[4 0 2 7;9:-2:3;linspace(1,15,4)]

sv =
4.0000 0 2.0000 7.0000
9.0000 7.0000 5.0000 3.0000
1.0000 5.6667 10.3333 15.0000

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 Try This !
Think what would be produced by the following sequence of
statements and expressions. (Parts (b), (c), and (d) use the vector
that was defined in part (a).)
(a) m=9:-2:1 (b) m2=[m m] (c) n=[m;m] (d) p=[m’ m’]

>> m=9:-2:1
m = >> p=[m' m']
9 7 5 3 1 p =
>> m2=[m m] 9 9
m2 = 7 7
9 7 5 3 1 9 7 5 3 1 5 5
>> n=[m;m] 3 3
n = 1 1
9 7 5 3 1
9 7 5 3 1
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Matrix Using rand Function
Square

>> rand(2)
ans =
0.1576 0.9572
0.9706 0.4854

rectangular

>> rand(3,2)
ans =
0.6557 0.9340
0.0357 0.6787
0.8491 0.7577
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 Matrix Using randi Function

Scalar 1-2 Range 1-3 Size 2 x 2

>> randi(2) >> randi(3,2)

ans = ans =
1 1 1
3 2

Range 1-5 Size 2 x 3 Size 2 x 3

Range 6-9

>> randi(5,2,3) >> randi([6,9],2,3)

ans = ans =
5 3 1 9 6 7
1 3 2 9 7 8
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 Special Matrices
zeros >> z0=zeros(2,3)
z0 = >>zeros(3)?
0 0 0
0 0 0

ones >> wan=ones(2,4)

wan =
1 1 1 1 >>ones(3)?
1 1 1 1

eye >> idn=eye(3)

idn = >>eye(2,3)?
1 0 0
0 1 0
0 0 1 17
 Try This !

Use ones /zeros functions to create the following arrays:

a) vector 10 10 10 10 10

b) matrix 10 10 10
10 10 10

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 Referring to Matrix Elements
To refer to matrix elements, the row and column are
typed in the brackets.
>> k=[2:6;3:2:11]
k =
Create matrix k
2 3 4 5 6
3 5 7 9 11

>> k(2,4)
Extracting single element:
ans = Row 2, col 4
9

>> k1=k(1:2,2:3) Extracting a subset of a matrix:

k1 = Row 1-2, col 2-3
3 4
5 7 19
 Referring to Matrix Elements – cont’d
Matrix k
2 3 4 5 6
3 5 7 9 11

• Using colon (:) for row index mean all row

• Using colon for column index means all column
>> r2=k(2,:)
r2 = Extracting entire row 2
3 5 7 9 11

>> k(:,5) Extracting entire column 5

ans =
6 k2=k(2,3:end)?
11 20
k3=k(end,3)?
 Modifying Variables

• Once a variable exists—as a scalar, vector, or

matrix—it can be changed to any other size, or type,
of variable.
• For example, a scalar can be changed to a vector or a
matrix; a vector can be changed to a scalar, a vector
of different length, or a matrix; and a matrix can be
changed to have a different size, or be reduced to a
vector or a scalar.
• These changes are made by adding or deleting
elements.

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 Modifying Matrix Elements
• Individual element in a matrix can be modified by
assigning value.
>> mat=[2:5;4:7];
>> mat(2,3)=10
mat = Modify single element
2 3 4 5
4 5 10 7

>> mat(1,:)=6:9
mat = Modify entire row - must
assign vector with the
6 7 8 9 correct length
4 5 10 7

Modify entire column ?

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 Modifying Matrix Elements- cont’d
>> m=[3 4 8 >> m(:,3)=[9 8]’
6 10 7]; m =
3 4 9
6 10 8

>> m(:,3)=[5 4] Without

transposing
m =
3 4 5
6 10 4

>> m(:,3)=2 One value

m =
3 4 2
6 10 2 23
 Try This !
1. Use ones /zeros functions, create a 4 x 5 matrix in which the first two
rows are 0s and the next two rows are 1s.

2. Create a 6 x 6 matrix in which the middle two rows and the middle two
columns are 1s, and the rest are 0s.

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 Extending Matrix
The size of added row/column must fit the existing matrix

>> vec=[2:4;6:8];
>> vec(:,4)=[1,5]'
vec = Fourth column added
2 3 4 1
6 7 8 5

>> vec(3,:)=[2:2:8]
vec =
2 3 4 1 Third row added
6 7 8 5
2 4 6 8
>> vec(:,5)=[1 5 7] ?
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 Extending Matrix - cont’d
>> vec(:,6)=[6 7 1]’
vec =
2 3 4 1 0 6 Column padded
with 0’s
6 7 8 5 0 7
2 4 6 8 0 1

>> vec(4,3)=9
vec =
2 3 4 1 0 6
6 7 8 5 0 7
2 4 6 8 0 1
0 0 9 0 0 0
>>vec(6,7)=8 ?
Matrices can also be concatenated like vectors provided
the row/column fit each other. 26
 Deleting Elements
An element, or range of elements from the existing
variables can be deleted.

Vector
>> st=2:9
st =
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

>> st(4)=[]
st =
2 3 4 6 7 8 9 vector
becomes
shorter
>> st(2:3)=[]
st =
2 6 7 8 9
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 Deleting Elements - cont’d
Matrix
Individual elements cannot be deleted from a matrix, but
entire row/column can be deleted.

>> mat=[4 9 3 7 8;8 4 2 6 9;3 1 7 4 3]

mat =
4 9 3 7 8
8 4 2 6 9
3 1 7 4 3

>> mat(:,2:4)=[]
All rows column 2
mat = through 4 deleted
4 8
8 9
3 3
Delete second row ? 28
 Try This !
What would be produced by the following sequence of statements and
expressions.
a) A=[N(1,1:4)’,N(2,2:5)’]
b) B=[N(:,3)' N(3,:)]
c) C(3:4,5:6)=N(2:3,4:5)

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 Array Functions
Functions used for manipulating arrays

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 Built-in Functions For Array
Function Description Example
mean(A) Mean value of elements >> A=[ 5 3 8 6];
of the vector >> mean(A)
ans =
5.5000
max(A) The largest element of >> max(A)
the vector ans =
min(A) 8
for
smallest [m,n]=max(A) m is the largest element >> [m,n]=max(A)
in vector, and n is the m =
position of the element 8
n =
3
sum(A) Sum of the elements of >> sum(A)
the vector ans =
22
sort(A) Arranges the elements in >> sort(A)
ascending order ans =
3 5 6 8 31
 Built-in Functions For Array
Function Description Example
median(A) Median value of >> median(A)
elements of the vector ans =
5.5000
std(A) Standard deviation of >> std(A)
the element of the ans =
vector 2.0817
cumsum(A) / Stores cumulative >> cumsum(a)
cumprod (A) sum/product for each ans =
step as it adds the 5 8 16 22
elements from the
vector >> cumprod(a)
ans =
5 15 120 720

If A is an array the above functions, row vectors will

be returned which do the calculations column wise
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 Built-in Functions For Array
Function Description Example
dot(A,B) Calculates the dot (scalar) >> A=[3 2 5];B=[4 6 1];
product of vectors A and B. >> dot(A,B)
The vectors can each be row or ans =
column vectors. 29
cross(A,B) Calculates the cross product of >> cross(A,B)
vectors A and B. The vectors ans =
must have 3 elements. -28 17 10

det(A) & inv(A) functions return the determinant

and inverse matrix of square matrices, respectively

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 Example
>> mt= [2 5 7 4;6 9 3 5;8 7 3 1]
>> mean(mt)
ans =
5.3333 7.0000 4.3333 3.3333

>> cumsum(mt)
ans =
2 5 7 4
8 14 10 9
16 21 13 10
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 Try This !
How to get the overall maximum of a matrix.
>> mt= [2 5 7 4;6 9 3 5;8 7 3 1]
>> max(max(mt))
ans= ?

Using the ones and zeros commands, create a 4 x 3 matrix in which the first
two rows are 0s and the next two rows are 1s.
>> a=zeros(2,3);
>> a(3:4,:)=ones(2,3)
a =
0 0 0
0 0 0
1 1 1
1 1 1
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or >> a=[zeros(2,3);ones(2,3)]
 Array Functions
Functions used for managing & handling arrays

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 Array Functions - Matrix Dimension
Vector v Matrix m
4 6 5 8 3 9 8
2 5 3

Some built-in functions for managing and handling array

Function Description Example

length Returns number of; >> length(v) >> length(m)

i) elements in vector. ans = ans =
ii) either row/ column, which 4 3
ever is larger in matrix

size Returns a row vector m n, >> size(v) >> size(m)

where m and n are the number ans = ans =
of rows and columns 1 4 2 3

numel Returns the total number of >> numel(v) >> numel(m)

elements in any array ans = ans =
4 6
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 Array Functions - Matrix Dimension (cont’d)
Matrix m 3 9 8
Vector v 4 6 5 8
2 5 3

Function Description Example

end Returns to the; >> z=v(end) >> mz=m(end,2)

Note: used i) last element in a vector. z = mz =
only as ii) last row if end is in the row 8 5
index index, vice versa for column.

reshape Change the dimension of a >> reshape(m,3,2)

matrix. It iterates the through ans =
the matrix counterclockwise. 3 5
2 8
9 3
[? ?] Note; vector of variables on the >> [r c]=size(m)
LHS of assignment. The first r=
value returned is number of 2
rows and the second is columns. c =
3
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 Array Functions - Matrix Dimension (cont’d)
Matrix m 3 9 8
Vector v 4 6 5 8
2 5 3

Function Description Example

fliplr Flips array left-right. >> a=fliplr(v) >> fliplr(m)

a = ans =
8 5 6 4 8 9 3
3 5 2

flipud Flips matrix up-down >> flipud(m)

ans =
2 5 3
3 9 8
rot90 rotates array 90o >> rot90(v) >> rot90(m)
counterclockwise ans = ans =
8 8 3
5 9 5
6 3 2
4
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 Array Functions - Matrix Dimension (cont’d)
Matrix m 3 9 8
Vector v 4 6 5 8
2 5 3
4 6 1

Function Description Example

diag ( v) When v is a >> diag(v)

vector, creates a ans =
square matrix with 4 0 0 0
the elements of v 0 6 0 0
in the diagonal. 0 0 5 0
0 0 0 8
diag(m) When m is a >> diag(m)
matrix, creates a ans =
vector from the 3
diagonal of m. 5
1

More array manipulation function can be found in the Help Window

Select Function by Category / mathematics / arrays and matrices 40
 Try This !
What would be produced by the following sequence of statements and
expressions.
– mt=[7:-2:3;23 6 9;3:5]
– mt(2,3)
– mt(1,:)
– mt(:,4)=[7 3 2]‘
– size(mt)
– Length(mt)
– numel(mt)
– vc=mt(2,:)
– vc(vc(4))
– vc(1:2)=[]
– reshape(mt,4,3)
– Zeros(size(mt)) 41
Strings as Variables

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 Strings as Variables
• String is an train of characters created by typing
characters within single quotes (‘).
• Can include letters, digits, other characters and
spaces.
• String are used in output commands, formatting
commands of plot, input argument of some
functions.
• When a variable is defined as a string, the characters
are stored in array just as number are, including
spaces.

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 vector
Strings as Variables - cont’d
>> k='SKAM 1422' Create string
k = variable >> a=352
SKAM 1422 a =
Numbers are
352 right justify
>> k(4)
ans = >>s=k(5)? >> b='352'
>>length(s)? b =
M Strings are
352 left justify
>> k(4)=‘A’
Modifying a≠ b
k = a is a number
string variable
SKAA 1422 b is a string

>> k(6:9)=‘3413' Modifying

k = string variable
SKAA 3413
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 matrix
Strings as Variables - cont’d
• String can also be placed in matrix; using semicolon
or enter key, but all row must have the same length,
which may cause problem when creating rows of
specific wording.
• Matlab has char function that creates rows of with
the same number of characters by automatically
adding spaces to the shorter rows.
• Coma is used to separate the rows.
>> student=char('Name: Mohd Ali','Grade: A+')
student =
Name: Mohd Ali
Grade: A+
>> size(student)
ans =
2 14 45
More practice see Problem A2

Thank You

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