Python Basics
MATLAB Basics

Python Basics

Python is the recommended coding language at NMITE. It is a high-level, interpreted programming language that was developed to be easy to read and use. Programs written in Python can also be compiled to create executable files (aka apps and software!). It is one of the most used languages currently, even though it is only 30 years old. (Fun fact: The name Python is a nod to "Monty Python".)

Below are brief overviews of the basic codewords in Python. But a good online source of info is this W3Schools set of webpages Python Tutorial.

Variables

There are various types of variables you can define in Python, including e.g.:

Integers
var_integer1 = 42
var_integer2 = -53

Floats
var_float = 51.2

Strings
var_string1 = 'I am a string'
var_string2 = "I am also a string!"

Booleans
var_boolean1 = True
var_boolean2 = False

Lists
var_list = ['apple', 'banana', 'cherry']

Printing and Concatenation

You can print and concatenate using the following

first_name = 'Bertie'
last_name = 'Knight'
print('My name is ' + first_name + ' ' + last_name)

Or:

first_name = 'Bertie'
last_name = 'Knight'
print(f'My name is {first_name} {last_name}')

Operators

The arithmetic operators in Python are:

Operator	Name	Example
+	Addition	2 + 3 = 5
-	Subtraction	5 - 2 = 3
*	Multiplication	3 * 4 = 12
/	Division	27 / 9 = 3
%	Modulus	11 % 3 = 2
**	Exponentiation	2 ** 3 = 8
//	Floor Division	15 // 2 = 7

IF Statements

An IF statement in Python may look like this:

number = 10
if number > 0:
print(f'{number} is positive')

IF statements may use the following operators:

Operator	Name
==	Equal To?
>=	Greater Than Or Equal To?
>	Greater Than?
<=	Less Than Or Equal To?
<	Less Than?
!=	Not Equal To?

IF statements may contain else and else-ifs, e.g.:

number = 3.14
if number > 0:
print(f'{number} is positive')
elif number < 0:
print(f'{number} is negative')
else:
print('Your number is zero')

Functions

We can make use of functions in Python to create reusable blocks of code, and avoid repetition, e.g.:

def add_numbers(num1, num2)
return num1 + num2

num1 = input('Give me a number')
num2 = input('Give me another number')

result = add_numbers(num1, num2)
print(result)

Loops

You might use loops in Python to repeatedly execute a block of code. A FOR loop will repeat a specified amount of times, a WHILE loop will repeat as long as a condition is met. For example, both codes below will print out 1 to 10:

For Loop:
for n in range(10):
print(n+1)

While Loop:
counter = 1
while counter <= 10:
print(counter)
counter += 1

MATLAB Basics

Variables

MATLAB is a fourth-generation programming language designed specifically for engineers and scientists to analyse and design systems and products that transform our world. ‘MATLAB’ is an acronym for ‘Matrix Laboratory’ because every variable created in MATLAB is a matrix. You can find out what is meant by a matrix here. A variable can be defined in MATLAB like so:

var1 = 52;

The semi-colon indicates the end of a statement. This variable is still a matrix, it is just a 1x1 matrix. To define a row and a column matrix, you can do the following, where var2 and var3 are row and column matrices respectively.

var2 = [1 2 3 4 5];

var3 = [1;2;3;4;5];

To change var2 to a column matrix, or var3 to a row matrix, we can use an apostrophe:

var2 = var2’; (=1;2;3;4;5)

var3 = var3’; (=1 2 3 4 5)

To define a rectangular or square matrix, you can do the following:

var4 = [1 2 3;4 5 6;7 8 9];

var5 = [1 2 3 4 5; 6 7 8 9 10; 11 12 13 14 15];

var6 = ‘I am a string’;

To call an element (or range of elements), we can refer to the variable and define the elements in a set of brackets. The following examples refer to the 4^th element in var1 and the element in row 3, column 2 of var5:

var1(4); (=4)

var5(3,2); (=12)

The following will give elements 2 to 4 in the 3^rd row of var5; the 1^st to the 2^nd element in the 2^nd column in var5 and the 4^th to the penultimate elements in var6:

var5(3,2:4); (=12 13 14)

var5(1:2,2); (=2;7)<\span>

var6(4:end-1); (=’m a strin’)

The following will give the 3^rd row of var4 and the 2^nd column of var5 respectively:

var4(3,:); (=7 8 9)

var5(:,2); (=2;7;12)

Functions

A function in MATLAB (as in any other language) will have an input, then manipulate it in a determinable way to give an output. Functions can be written at the bottom of your code or in a separate function tab. To write a function in MATLAB you will use a format like so:

function [output] = [name of function](input)

So, a function written in MATLAB might look like so:

function A = multiply_by_five_subtract_two(B)

A = 5*B-2

end

In this function, we have an output variable A and an input variable B, and the function is called ‘multiply_by_five_subtract_two’. If at any point in your code you need to multiply a variable by five and subtract two, you could call to this function using its name, and inserting whatever variable you use as your input into brackets, for example: multiply_by_five_subtract_two(var1).

Resources

MATLAB Basic Functions Reference (mathworks.com)