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2.5.5: Finding, Deleting, Adding or Replacing Data

  • Page ID
    370473
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    The following examples will illustrate how to find, change, add or delete data in a vector. The same principles apply to manipulation of data in matrix form.

    (a) Finding Data:

    Suppose we wish to find the elements of vector V which are greater than or equal to 7:

    V = [-2 3 7 -26 48 10 -8]', i = find(V>=7)

    results in

    V =

    -2

    3

    7

    -26

    48

    10

    -8

    i =

    3

    5

    6

    The statement, i = find(V>=7), returns a vector, i, containing the index of the elements of V which are greater than or equal to 7. The third, fifth and sixth elements of V are ≥ 7.

    There are six relational operators that can be used in Matlab:

    Relational Operators

    < less than

    <= less than or equal to

    > greater than

    >= greater than or equal to

    == equal to

    ~= not equal to

    (b) Deleting Data:

    Specific elements in a matrix or vector can be deleted using the empty matrix (or vector), []. The statement

    x = []

    assigns a matrix of dimension zero-by-zero to x. To delete the elements of V which are greater than or equal to seven, use the command

    V(i) = []

    which returns

    V =

    -2

    3

    -26

    -8

    The elements of V which have indices given by the elements of i, are removed by assigning them to an empty matrix. Single elements may be removed in similar fashion. The command

    V(3) = []

    deletes the third element of V and returns

    V =

    -2

    3

    -8

    An efficient way of removing rows and columns of a matrix is to assign them to an empty matrix. The command, A(:,3)=[], deletes column 3 of matrix A.

    (c) Adding Data:

    Suppose we wish to combine the elements of vectors V and U:

    U = [3:2:10]', W = [V; U]

    This returns

    U =

    3

    5

    7

    9

    W =

    -2

    3

    -8

    3

    5

    7

    9

    If we wish to add a single data point (-17) to the end of vector W:

    W = [W; -17]

    This returns

    W =

    -2

    3

    -8

    3

    5

    7

    9

    -17

    (d) Replacing Data:

    To replace the fourth element of W with -12, enter the following

    W(4) = -12

    This returns

    W =

    -2

    3

    -8

    -12

    5

    7

    9

    -17


    This page titled 2.5.5: Finding, Deleting, Adding or Replacing Data is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Kathryn Haas.

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