MATLAB is a numeric computation software for engineering and scientific calculations. The name MATLAB stands for MATRIX LABORATORY. MATLAB is primarily a tool for matrix computations. | Attia John Okyere. Matlab Fundamentals. Electronics and Circuit Analysis using MATLAB. Ed. John Okyere Attia Boca Raton CRC Press LLC 1999 1999 by CRC PRESS LLC CHAPTER ONE MATLAB FUNDAMENTALS MATLAB is a numeric computation software for engineering and scientific calculations. The name MATLAB stands for MATRIX LABORATORY. MATLAB is primarily a tool for matrix computations. It was developed by John Little and Cleve Moler of MathWorks Inc. MATLAB was originally written to provide easy access to the matrix computation software packages LINPACK and EISPACK. MATLAB is a high-level language whose basic data type is a matrix that does not require dimensioning. There is no compilation and linking as is done in high-level languages such as C or FORTRAN. Computer solutions in MATLAB seem to be much quicker than those of a high-level language such as C or FORTRAN. All computations are performed in complex-valued double precision arithmetic to guarantee high accuracy. MATLAB has a rich set of plotting capabilities. The graphics are integrated in MATLAB. Since MATLAB is also a programming environment a user can extend the functional capabilities of MATLAB by writing new modules. MATLAB has a large collection of toolboxes in a variety of domains. Some examples of MATLAB toolboxes are control system signal processing neural network image processing and system identification. The toolboxes consist of functions that can be used to perform computations in a specific domain. MATLAB BASIC OPERATIONS When MATLAB is invoked the command window will display the prompt . MATLAB is then ready for entering data or executing commands. To quit MATLAB type the command exit or quit MATLAB has on-line help. To see the list of MATLAB s help facility type help The help command followed by a function name is used to obtain information on a specific MATLAB function. For example to obtain information on the use of fast Fourier transform function fft one can type the command 1999 CRC Press LLC .
