MATLAB

MATLAB (Matrix Laboratory) is a proprietary multi-paradigm programming language and numeric computing environment developed by MathWorks. It helps people work with numbers, especially groups of numbers called matrices, and makes it easy to create graphs and solve problems. MATLAB is special because it can handle many kinds of calculations and is used by scientists, engineers, and economists around the world.

One of the great things about MATLAB is that it can also work with symbols, thanks to a toolbox that uses the MuPAD symbolic engine. This lets users do more advanced math, like solving equations that can't be easily turned into numbers. There is also a package called Simulink that helps users build models to simulate how things change over time, which is very useful for designing machines and systems.

As of 2020^[update], MATLAB has more than four million users worldwide. It is used in many colleges and universities to help teach and do research. Whether you are studying engineering, science, or economics, MATLAB can be a powerful tool to help understand complex ideas and solve real-world problems.

History

MATLAB was invented by mathematician and computer programmer Cleve Moler. His idea for MATLAB came from his 1960s PhD thesis. Moler began developing MATLAB for his students while he was a math professor at the University of New Mexico. The first version of MATLAB was finished in the late 1970s and was shared with the public in 1979 at the Naval Postgraduate School in California. Early versions were simple tools for working with numbers and matrices.

In 1984, MATLAB became a commercial product, and MathWorks, Inc. was created to develop it further. Over the years, MATLAB grew with new features and tools added by experts in many fields. By 2016, MATLAB included many improvements to help users work more efficiently.

Release history

For a full list of updates and changes to MATLAB and its toolboxes, you can check the details of MATLAB's previous releases. This helps users see what new features and improvements have been added over time.

Syntax

The MATLAB application is built around the MATLAB programming language. You can use the Command Window to run math commands or write code in text files.

MATLAB makes it easy to work with numbers and data. You can create variables without needing to specify their type first. For example, you can set a variable x to hold the number 17, or even change it to hold text like the word "hat".

MATLAB works well with arrays and matrices. You can create an array like 1:2:9, which gives you the numbers 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9. Matrices can be made by putting numbers in rows and columns, and you can pick out single numbers or groups of numbers from them easily.

Graphics and graphical user interface programming

MATLAB makes it easy to create graphs and pictures from data. For example, you can use a simple command to draw a smooth wave called a sine function. MATLAB can also make 3D pictures to show more complex data.

MATLAB helps people build special windows on a computer screen called graphical user interfaces, or GUIs. These can be made by writing code or by using special tools that let you design them visually.

[X,Y] = meshgrid(-10:0.25:10,-10:0.25:10); f = sinc(sqrt((X/pi).^2+(Y/pi).^2)); mesh(X,Y,f); axis([-10 10 -10 10 -0.3 1]) xlabel('{\bfx}') ylabel('{\bfy}') zlabel('{\bfsinc} ({\bfR})') hidden off	[X,Y] = meshgrid(-10:0.25:10,-10:0.25:10); f = sinc(sqrt((X/pi).^2+(Y/pi).^2)); surf(X,Y,f); axis([-10 10 -10 10 -0.3 1]) xlabel('{\bfx}') ylabel('{\bfy}') zlabel('{\bfsinc} ({\bfR})')
This code produces a wireframe 3D plot of the two-dimensional unnormalized sinc function:	This code produces a surface 3D plot of the two-dimensional unnormalized sinc function:

MATLAB and other languages

MATLAB can work with functions and programs written in other languages like C or Fortran. It creates special files called MEX files to help share data between MATLAB and these languages. MATLAB also supports connecting with Python, Perl, Java, ActiveX, and .NET.

You can use MATLAB with tools like Maple or Mathematica for more advanced math tasks. MATLAB also has ways to bring in and send out data using MathML.

Relations to US sanctions

In 2020, MATLAB stopped providing services to two universities in China because of United States sanctions. The universities planned to use more open-source tools and develop their own alternatives instead.