Updated March 17, 2023
Is Matlab Free?
The following article provides an outline for Is Matlab Free. Matlab is an interactive and mathematical computing programming environment, widely used in the field of data preprocessing, data analysis, exploration, experimentation, algorithm development, application development, problem-solving, and visualization. Matlab functions are organized in the form of libraries known as Toolbox. It’s a product of The MathWorks Massachusetts, USA.
Matlab provides ample features such as ease of use, no variable declaration, complex matrices handling, easily used graphics, concise syntax, etc., which distinguishes it from other scientific programming languages such as C and FORTRAN. Matlab can handle the multi-dimensional array. Matlab’s internal data structure is limited to a two-dimensional matrix. But to handle a multi-dimensional array, one can create its own function in Matlab. Hence both Matlab is a great success.
Parts of Matlab System
Given below are the parts of Matlab System:
1. Matlab Language
It is a high-level matrix language with functions, control statements, data structures, input/output, and object-oriented programming features.
2. Matlab Working Environment
This comprises of tools and facilities such as working with variables, importing/exporting dataset in your workspace.
3. Handle Graphics
These is high-level commands available in Matlab for 2-D & 3-D visualizations, animation, image processing, and presentation graphics. Low-level commands are also available to make you capable of customizing the appearance of the graph.
4. Mathematical Function Library
There is a huge number of mathematical functions available in Matlab. From elementary functions like sine, cosine, tan, sum, etc. to complex and advanced functions like Bessel function, eigenvalue/eigenvector of the matrix, matrix inverse, etc.
5. Application Program Interface
It’s a library that allows you to write C and Fortran programs, which can interact with Matlab. It’s a way of calling routines from Matlab. Matlab is not open-source software. However, the student version (individual license) of Matlab costs $50 for students and $150 for home users. The commercial version of Matlab will cost approx. 11 lakh INR.
Features Of Matlab
The features offered by Matlab will surely make you feel the price is nothing in front of the features it provides.
1. Platform Independent
Matlab language is supported by Windows, Linux, Unix, Macintosh. A program written on one platform can be easily run on other platforms. This is a platform independence feature.
2. Full Graphics Capabilities
Matlab provides advanced graphics that can help visualize the scientific and engineering data very well. 2-D,3-D diagrams, voluminous graphs, animation, and interactive diagrams are among other graphics. All charts could be exported into known popular graph formats. The graphs are highly customizable such: One can change the colors lines and marker, add annotations, LATEX expressions, legends, the addition of multiple axes, etc.
3. Ease of Use
MATLAB is an interpreted and interactive language. Programs can be easily written and modified by a user with a built-in integrated development environment and debugger.
4. Good Source of Help
MATLAB is a technical programming language, which needs to be learned from a good source. From beginner to expert level, the link below may help you learn it:
http://www.quickcode.co/free/courses/learn/Matlab/66
https://www.tutorialspoint.com/matlab/matlab_overview.htm
This will help you understand from basics of handling variables, creating scripts, operation on matrices, file handling, text processing till working with structures and map containers.
Here is the list of calculations, for which Matlab is mostly used for:
- 2-D and 3-D Plotting and graphics
- Dealing with Matrices and Arrays
- Non-linear Functions
- Data Analysis
- Linear Algebra
- Algebraic Equations
- Statistics
- Calculus and Differential Equations
- Numerical Calculations
- Transforms
- Integration
- Curve Fitting
- Various other special functions
Below are the areas of science and engineering where Matlab is widely used:
- Computational Finance
- Control Systems
- Test and Biology
- Computational Biology
- Image Processing
- Video Processing
- Signal Processing
- Communications
Technical Questions of Matlab
There are a few technical questions that need to be known while working with Matlab:
Q1. Difference between M-file and MEX files.
Answer:
- M-file: It’s a plain ASCII text, which gets interpreted at the run-time. These are basically like subprograms stored in a text file with .m extension and hence known as M-files. While dealing with Matlab development, most of the scenario Matlab is used.
- MEX file: These are C and C++ files that are linked directly to Matlab at the time of run time. MEX files have the capacity to crash the MATLAB applications, so that needs to be handled carefully.
Q2. Explain Interpolation and Extrapolation in Matlab along with their types?
Answer:
Interpolation is a word used for taking out the function values between data points in an array. Whereas Extrapolation is a word referring to finding values beyond the endpoint of the array.
Interpolation & Extrapolation are of two types:
- Linear Interpolation and Extrapolation
- Quadratic Interpolation and Extrapolation
Q3. What is Xmath-Matlab? Mention the Xmath features?
Answer:
X-math is an interactive scripting and graphics environment, for Xwindow workstations. Features of X-math is listed below:
- Debugging tools with GUI features
- Color graphics can be pointed and clickable
- Libraries that are C and LNX C language compatible
- Scripting language with OOP features
Q4. How to change/modify the Matlab path?
Answer:
One can use: use the PathTool GUI to modify the Matlab path. Add path directories from the command line and then add the path torc in order to write the current path back to ‘pathdef.m.’ In case one doesn’t have permission to write for ‘pathdef.m’ then paths can be written into a different file, you can execute from your ‘startup.m.’
Q5. How polynomials can be represented in MatLab?
Answer:
In Matlab, a polynomial is denoted by a vector. One needs to enter the coefficient of the polynomial into the vector in descending order and hence polynomial can be created.
Recommended Articles
This has been a guide to Is Matlab Free. Here we have discussed the basic concept, features, and technical Questions of Matlab. You may also look at the following articles to learn more –
