Jim Sizemore

When you first start MATLAB, the current folder always defaults to the MATLAB folder found in your user folder for the platform of your choice. For Windows users, that means the C:UsersUser Name>DocumentsMATLAB folder. Burying your data way down deep in the operating system may seem like a good idea to the operating system vendor, but you can change the current folder location to something more convenient when desired.

After you create a formula or command that you want to use to perform a number of calculations in MATLAB, be sure to save it to disk. Of course, you can save anything that you want to disk. The following steps help you save any formula or command that you want to disk so that you can review it later:Choose a location to save the formula or command in the Address field.

MATLAB provides many different ways to write scripts. Some of them don’t actually require that you write anything at all! However, the traditional way to create a script in any application is to write it. The most common first script in the entire world is the “Hello World” example. The following steps demonstrate how to create such a script using MATLAB.

Once you have obtained a copy of the Symbolic Math Toolbox to use with MATLAB, you should have a number of files on your hard drive. These files provide everything needed to install the Symbolic Math Toolbox. You have two ways by which you can interact with the files: If you were able to use the download agent, you see a dialog box telling you that the download is complete.

You would have a tough time presenting formulas to others without being able to use math symbols. MATLAB provides you with a wealth of symbols that you can use for output purposes. Here are the most commonly used symbols and how you access them.FractionDisplaying a fraction onscreen doesn’t always include a numeric fraction; it could be a formula that requires that sort of presentation.

You can create a 3D bar chart in MATLAB. The bar chart is a standard form of presentation that is mostly used in a business environment. You can use a bar chart to display either 2D or 3D data. When you feed a bar chart a vector, it produces a 2D bar chart. Providing a bar chart with a matrix produces a 3D chart.

You need to obtain either a trial version or a purchased version of the Symbolic Math Toolbox before you can do anything else with it in MATLAB. (When getting a trial version, you must discuss the download with someone from MATLAB before you can actually download the product.) Check out the product information and click one of the links in the Try or Buy section of the page.

How the 3D effect appears onscreen depends on the data aspect ratio you set in MATLAB. The daspect() function lets you obtain the current aspect ratio and set a new one. The aspect ratio is a measure of how the x-, y-, and z-axis interact. For example, an aspect ratio of [1, 2, 3] would mean that for every 1 unit of the x-axis, there are two units of the y-axis and three units of the z-axis.