Plotting in MATLAB is a versatile feature that allows users to represent data in a variety of visually impactful manners. Whether it’s a simple 2D graph or a complex 3D surface, MATLAB’s comprehensive library of functions can cater to a vast range of plotting requirements.
Both basic and advanced plots provide valuable tools in data analysis, making them indispensable components of the MATLAB environment.
Diving into MATLAB Plotting
Plotting is a fundamental part of data representation in MATLAB. The plot function creates a 2-dimensional line graph of one variable against another. The basic syntax to use the function is as follows:
plot(X, Y, 'Property', 'Value')
Here, ‘X’ and ‘Y’ are vectors representing the data to be plotted. These vectors need to be of equal length. The ‘Property’ and ‘Value’ pairs are optional arguments that allow users to specify various plot properties.
In addition to the basic plot, MATLAB supports many advanced plot types, such as area plots, bar graphs, histograms, scatter plots, and 3D plots, each serving to fulfill different needs in data representation.
Exploring Useful Features and Functions
Beyond the elementary plot function, MATLAB offers numerous features that amplify the visualization capabilities of the platform. For instance, the hold on function enables plotting of multiple graphs on the same axis. To demonstrate, let’s assume two vectors ‘x’ and ‘y1’, ‘y2’. Then the code will be as follows:
hold on; plot(x, y1); plot(x, y2); hold off;
In this code, the first line will hold the current plot and all its settings, the next two lines will plot the two different sets of data, and the fourth line will release the hold state, enabling new plots to overwrite the existing ones.
It’s also possible to annotate plots using the text function. The basic syntax is the following:
text(x, y, 'string')
Here, ‘x’ and ‘y’ determine the location of the text, and ‘string’ is the text to display.
MATLAB also supports subplots, useful when comparing plots side by side. A subplot divides the figure window into an m-by-n grid. The subplot(m, n, p) specifies the location of the next plot in the grid. For example,
subplot(1, 2, 1); plot(x, y1); subplot(1, 2, 2); plot(x, y2);
This will create two plots side by side.
Gaining Proficiency over MATLAB Plotting Libraries
MATLAB is a versatile platform with numerous libraries dedicated to specific purposes. The plotting libraries are no exception. Libraries such as MATLAB graphics, Curve Fitting Toolbox, Data Visualization, and more, offer a plethora of functions and features that assist in creating powerful and eye-catchy visualizations.
For instance, the function view from the MATLAB graphics library, enables users to change the perspective of 3D plots. Likewise, the cfit function from Curve Fitting Toolbox aids users in creating custom curves and surfaces to fit data points. These libraries and toolboxes, when explored and utilized effectively, can significantly boost one’s data visualization skills in MATLAB.
