Activity 1.2.
What is the result of the following evaluation in MATLAB:
>> 27^1/3 + 32^0.2
Section 1.4 Arithmetic Operators with Scalars
MATLAB can be used directly as a calculator. After all, a number can simply be viewed as a scalar and as such is a single-element 1D matrix.
Subsection 1.4.1 Scalar Operators
| Operator | Symbol | Example |
| Addition | + |
5 + 3 |
| Subtraction | - |
5 - 3 |
| Multiplication | * |
5 * 3 |
| Division | / |
5 / 3 |
| Left Division | \ |
5 \ 3 (= 3 / 5) |
| Exponentiation | ^ |
5^3 (=5\(^3\) = 125) |
I know. Left division seems like pretty much the most useless thing ever. We’ll have to wait for matrices with more than one element for this to make any kind of sense.
| Operator | Symbol | Precedence |
| Parentheses | () |
highest |
| Exponentiation | ^ |
| |
| Multiplication and Division | * / \ |
| |
| Addition and Subtraction | + - |
lowest |
Subsection 1.4.2 Examples
- In the command window, enter the expression at the prompt and the result is echoed back to you.
- The result of the current expression is stored in a predefined variable
ans. anscan be used as a normal variable (but remember that as soon as you perform a new operation, the value ofansreflects the result of this most recent computation and no longer that of the previous operation.- Adding a semicolon
;to the end of the command line suppresses the output, while typing the variable’s name displays its value.
Simple example:
>> 7 + 8/2
ans =
11
>> ans*3
ans =
33
>> ans/3;
>> ans
ans =
11
Example with operator precedence:
>> (7 + 8)/2
ans =
7.5000
>> 4 + 5/3 + 2
ans =
7.6667
>> 27^(1/3) + 32^0.2
ans =
5
