Lecture Note: Introduction to Problem
Solving Using MATLAB
Table of Contents
1. Introduction to Problem Solving
2. Overview of MATLAB
3. MATLAB Environment and Interface
4. MATLAB Basics: Variables, Constants, and Expressions
5. Data Types and Operators
6. Vectors and Matrices
7. Control Structures
8. Functions and Scripts
9. Plotting and Visualization
10. Problem Solving Techniques in MATLAB
11. Debugging and Error Handling
12. Real-Life Applications
13. Summary and Conclusion
1. Introduction to Problem Solving
Problem solving is the process of identifying an issue and finding the best solution. In
engineering and science, problem solving involves:
- Understanding the problem
- Breaking it into smaller parts
- Designing a solution or algorithm
- Implementing it using tools like MATLAB
2. Overview of MATLAB
MATLAB (Matrix Laboratory) is a high-level programming language and environment
developed by MathWorks. It is used for:
- Numerical computation
- Data analysis
- Visualization
- Algorithm development
- Simulation and modeling
3. MATLAB Environment and Interface
Key parts of the MATLAB interface:
- Command Window: Executes commands directly
- Editor: Write and save scripts
- Workspace: Displays variables in memory
- Command History: Logs previous commands
- Current Folder: Access project files
4. MATLAB Basics: Variables, Constants, and Expressions
Variables store data values:
a = 10;
b = 5;
Constants: Use built-in constants like pi, inf, NaN
Expressions: Combine variables using arithmetic operations
5. Data Types and Operators
Data Types:
- Numeric (double, int)
- Logical (true/false)
- Character and Strings
- Arrays
Operators:
- Arithmetic: +, -, *, /, .^
- Relational: ==, ~=, <, >
- Logical: &, |, ~
6. Vectors and Matrices
Vectors (1-D arrays):
v = [1 2 3];
Matrices (2-D arrays):
A = [1 2; 3 4];
Operations: Addition, multiplication, transpose
7. Control Structures
If-else:
if x > 0
disp('Positive');
else
disp('Negative');
end
Loops:
- for: Repeats for a fixed number of times
- while: Repeats as long as a condition is true
- break, continue: Control loop flow
8. Functions and Scripts
Scripts: Files with a series of commands (.m file)
Functions: Defined using the function keyword:
function y = square(x)
y = x^2;
end
9. Plotting and Visualization
Basic plotting:
x = 0:0.1:10;
y = sin(x);
plot(x, y);
Labels and titles:
xlabel('x-axis');
ylabel('y-axis');
title('Sine Wave');
10. Problem Solving Techniques in MATLAB
Steps:
- Define the problem clearly
- Create a flowchart or pseudocode
- Break into sub-problems (modularize)
- Implement and test each part
- Use MATLAB built-in functions for efficiency
11. Debugging and Error Handling
Use breakpoints to pause execution
Use disp() or fprintf() for variable inspection
Common errors: syntax errors, size mismatches
Use try...catch to handle runtime errors
12. Real-Life Applications
Applications of MATLAB include:
- Signal and image processing
- Data analysis and machine learning
- Control system design
- Robotics and simulation
- Financial modeling
13. Summary and Conclusion
MATLAB is a powerful tool for solving mathematical and engineering problems.
Mastering basic syntax, data structures, and plotting is key.
Practice solving real-world problems using MATLAB’s rich toolset.
