MatLab Engineering Mathematics Applications

Author: Xu Bo / et al.
Editor-in-Chief: Lei Hongqin / et al.
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2000-12-01
Features: MATLAB is a numerical computation and graphical image processing tool software, characterized by its concise syntax, efficient numerical computation, comprehensive graphical capabilities, and ease of learning and use. It has been widely applied in fields such as matrix algebra, numerical computation, digital signal processing, vibration theory, neural network control, and dynamic simulation. This book starts with the basic knowledge of MATLAB, introducing various commands while also demonstrating MATLAB's applications in advanced mathematics, linear algebra, symbolic computation, graphical image processing, data processing, and external interface programming.
The original MATLAB software package was developed in 1967 by Cleve Moler using FORTRAN, while the latest version was completed by MathWorks using C. Since its introduction to the market in 1984, it has undergone over a decade of development and competition, now becoming an internationally recognized (IEEE) optimized scientific and technical application software. Throughout its development, many outstanding contributors have made significant improvements, transforming it from a simple matrix analysis tool into a highly versatile operational platform equipped with numerous practical tools. Compared to other advanced programming languages, MATLAB provides an interactive mathematical system environment with matrices as its fundamental data structure, significantly reducing programming time. Its simple syntax rules, ease of mastery, and convenient debugging—allowing breakpoints and intermediate result storage—make it efficient for quickly identifying program errors. Due to its powerful capabilities, MATLAB has been widely welcomed and valued by professors and students in U.S. universities. By freeing users from tedious repetitive calculations and enabling more focus on understanding the fundamental concepts of mathematics, it has gradually become a standard and essential tool in many undergraduate and graduate courses. In fields like linear algebra, advanced mathematics, signal processing, vibration theory, and automatic control, whether in teaching or problem-solving, MATLAB demonstrates high efficiency, simplicity, and intuitiveness, serving as a powerful tool for computer-aided design. As a result, proficiency in MATLAB has become a fundamental skill for students, master's, and doctoral candidates in universities abroad. In research and industrial settings, MATLAB has become a research software and standard software. Many new scientific and technical books worldwide (especially university textbooks) use MATLAB as a basic tool when discussing their respective subjects.
There is a gap between excellent software and users: the difference in software architecture and users' knowledge structures. Previous books on MATLAB have introduced the software from a software organization perspective. However, from the users' knowledge structure, due to scattered writing organization and lack of a unified system, users often only gain a superficial understanding of specific functions but fall short of integrating them with their mathematical knowledge and grasping the software holistically. The greatest advantage of this book lies in its user-centric approach, using familiar mathematical textbooks as a framework and organizing the content in a well-structured manner. Another major feature is its focus on MATLAB's SYMBOLIC Toolbox while also covering its numerical computing capabilities. Among the readers targeted by this book, numerical computation is only one part of their mathematical work, and symbolic computation is another equally important aspect, making it a key focus of this book.
The book is divided into 11 chapters. Chapters 1, 2, and 3 primarily introduce the basic syntax and usage of MATLAB, forming the foundation of the book. Chapters 4 and 5 discuss MATLAB's applications in linear algebra. Chapters 6 and 7 focus on MATLAB's applications in advanced mathematics. Chapter 8 highlights MATLAB's powerful capabilities in numerical operations and data processing. Chapter 9 covers basic plotting and graphical image processing functions. Chapter 10 provides fundamental debugging techniques for MATLAB's programming language. Chapter 11 introduces the application of C and FORTRAN to extend MATLAB's functionality.
In the appendix, a list of names and function descriptions for most commonly used commands is provided for reference. Each command or key application in the book is accompanied by distinctive examples, which will help readers understand the commands or concepts more effectively. Most chapters include a set of exercises for practice, with reference answers provided in the appendix. It is recommended that readers use MATLAB software to practice the examples in this book, learning progressively from basic to advanced levels. This book emphasizes using numerous examples to guide readers in quickly learning and mastering MATLAB's various functions, with a focus on practical applications to highlight its engineering relevance. It includes exercises and reference answers for practice, and the appendix lists commonly used commands for reference.
The purpose of writing this book is to introduce this efficient application software, helping users overcome tedious and repetitive mathematical computations, allowing more time and energy to understand rigorous mathematical concepts and problem meanings—i.e., "moving beyond repetitive calculations to grasp mathematical concepts"—and dedicating more time to more important and meaningful work. If readers benefit from this book, its purpose will be fulfilled. Due to the authors' limited expertise and experience, errors and inaccuracies are inevitable. We sincerely welcome criticism and corrections from experts, readers, and industry professionals.
This book can serve as a reference for faculty and students in colleges and universities, as well as for researchers and engineering professionals in learning, experimentation, and engineering computations.