MATLAB (short for MATrix LABoratory) is a special-purpose computer program optimized to perform engineering and scientific calculations. It started life as a program designed to perform matrix mathematics, but over the years it has grown into a flexible computing system capable of solving essentially any technical problem.
Advantages Of MATLAB
1. Ease of Use
2. Platform Independence
3. Predefined Functions
4. Device-Independent Plotting
5. Graphical User Interface
6. MATLAB Compiler
Disadvantages Of MATLAB
1. It is an interpreted language and therefore may execute more slowly than compiled languages. This problem can be mitigated by properly structuring the MATLAB program.
2. A full copy of MATLAB is five to ten times more expensive than a conventional C or Fortran compiler. This relatively high cost is more than offset by the reduced time required for an engineer or scientist to create a working program, so MATLAB is cost-effective for businesses. However, it is too expensive for most individuals to consider purchasing. Fortunately, there is also an inexpensive Student Edition of MATLAB, which is a
great tool for students wishing to learn the language. The Student Edition of MATLAB is essentially identical to the full edition.
Steps to open the MATLAB software
- MATLAB Online
Step 1:
Open online version of MATLAB by using https://in.mathworks.com/ and login via your email id and password.
Step 2:
Click MATLAB online, online version of MATLAB is opened.
- MATLAB Software
Installer shortcut on your Windows desktop – Double-click the MATLAB icon.
Windows 10 systems — Start > All apps > MATLAB Release.
Windows 8 systems — On the Start screen or the desktop, click MATLAB Release.
Different Windows in MATLAB software
1. Command Window
This window provide direct console where we can execute different commands as well as perform operation directly. The code we are writing in this is not saved anywhere. The window is looks like below.
2. Command History
This window gives the history of the command which we were used previously.
3. Workspace
This window shows list of variables, we are declared and using. It shows variable name, the value which is assigned to that variable and size of that value in matrix form.
For example we declare variable a=10, then workspace shows one variable declared, which name is a, value is 10 and size is 1*1.
4. Current Folder
This window shows current working directory. In online MATLAB, it shows current working directory as MATLAB drive, which is the directory in MATLAB cloud, that is by default assigned to all user’s account who are using MATLAB online by purchasing it.
5. Editor Window
This window is same as notepad in our system. It is text area in which we can write our code and as well as this code can be saved into file, and used it later and also we can run that code.
