Definition of Matrices

Definition of Matrices
MATLAB is based on matrix and vector algebra; even scalars are treated as 1x1 matrices. Therefore, vector and matrix operations are as simple as common calculator operations.
Vectors can be defined in two ways. The first method is used for arbitrary elements:
v = [1 3 5 7];
creates a 1x4 vector with elements 1, 3, 5 and 7. Note that commas could have been used in place of spaces to separate the elements. Additional elements can be added to the vector:
v(5) = 8;
yields the vector v = [1 3 5 7 8]. Previously defined vectors can be used to define a new vector. For example, with v defined above
a = [9 10];
b = [v a];
creates the vector b = [1 3 5 7 8 9 10].
The second method is used for creating vectors with equally spaced elements:
t = 0:.1:10;
creates a 1x101 vector with the elements 0, .1, .2, .3,...,10. Note that the middle number defines the increment. If only two numbers are given, then the increment is set to a default of 1:
k = 0:10;
creates a 1x11 vector with the elements 0, 1, 2, ..., 10.
Matrices are defined by entering the elements row by row:
M = [1 2 4; 3 6 8];
creates the matrix
There are a number of special matrices that can be defined:
null matrix:
M = [ ];
nxm matrix of zeros:
M = zeros(n,m);
nxm matrix of ones:
M = ones(n,m);
nxn identity matrix:
M = eye(n);
A particular element of a matrix can be assigned:
M(1,2) = 5;
places the number 5 in the first row, second column.
In this text, matrices are used only in Chapter 12; however, vectors are used throughout the text. Operations and functions that were defined for scalars in the previous section can also be used on vectors and matrices. For example,
a = [1 2 3];
b = [4 5 6];
c = a + b

yields:
c =
5
7
9
Functions are applied element by element. For example,
t = 0:10;
x = cos(2*t);
creates a vector x with elements equal to cos(2t) for t = 0, 1, 2, ..., 10.
Operations that need to be performed element-by-element can be accomplished by preceding the operation by a ".". For example, to obtain a vector x that contains the elements of x(t) = tcos(t) at specific points in time, you cannot simply multiply the vector t with the vector cos(t). Instead you multiply their elements together:
t = 0:10;
x = t.*cos(t);