MATLAB supports various numeric classes that include signed and unsigned integers and single-precision and double-precision floating-point numbers. By default, MATLAB stores all numeric values as double-precision floating point numbers.
You can choose to store any number or array of numbers as integers or as single-precision numbers.
All numeric types support basic array operations and mathematical operations.
MATLAB provides the following functions to convert to various numeric data types −
Function | Purpose |
---|---|
double | Converts to double precision number |
single | Converts to single precision number |
int8 | Converts to 8-bit signed integer |
int16 | Converts to 16-bit signed integer |
int32 | Converts to 32-bit signed integer |
int64 | Converts to 64-bit signed integer |
uint8 | Converts to 8-bit unsigned integer |
uint16 | Converts to 16-bit unsigned integer |
uint32 | Converts to 32-bit unsigned integer |
uint64 | Converts to 64-bit unsigned integer |
Create a script file and type the following code −
x = single([5.32 3.47 6.28]) .* 7.5 x = double([5.32 3.47 6.28]) .* 7.5 x = int8([5.32 3.47 6.28]) .* 7.5 x = int16([5.32 3.47 6.28]) .* 7.5 x = int32([5.32 3.47 6.28]) .* 7.5 x = int64([5.32 3.47 6.28]) .* 7.5
When you run the file, it shows the following result −
x = 39.900 26.025 47.100 x = 39.900 26.025 47.100 x = 38 23 45 x = 38 23 45 x = 38 23 45 x = 38 23 45
Let us extend the previous example a little more. Create a script file and type the following code −
x = int32([5.32 3.47 6.28]) .* 7.5 x = int64([5.32 3.47 6.28]) .* 7.5 x = num2cell(x)
When you run the file, it shows the following result −
x = 38 23 45 x = 38 23 45 x = { [1,1] = 38 [1,2] = 23 [1,3] = 45 }
The functions intmax() and intmin() return the maximum and minimum values that can be represented with all types of integer numbers.
Both the functions take the integer data type as the argument, for example, intmax(int8) or intmin(int64) and return the maximum and minimum values that you can represent with the integer data type.
The following example illustrates how to obtain the smallest and largest values of integers. Create a script file and write the following code in it −
% displaying the smallest and largest signed integer data str = 'The range for int8 is:\n\t%d to %d '; sprintf(str, intmin('int8'), intmax('int8')) str = 'The range for int16 is:\n\t%d to %d '; sprintf(str, intmin('int16'), intmax('int16')) str = 'The range for int32 is:\n\t%d to %d '; sprintf(str, intmin('int32'), intmax('int32')) str = 'The range for int64 is:\n\t%d to %d '; sprintf(str, intmin('int64'), intmax('int64')) % displaying the smallest and largest unsigned integer data str = 'The range for uint8 is:\n\t%d to %d '; sprintf(str, intmin('uint8'), intmax('uint8')) str = 'The range for uint16 is:\n\t%d to %d '; sprintf(str, intmin('uint16'), intmax('uint16')) str = 'The range for uint32 is:\n\t%d to %d '; sprintf(str, intmin('uint32'), intmax('uint32')) str = 'The range for uint64 is:\n\t%d to %d '; sprintf(str, intmin('uint64'), intmax('uint64'))
When you run the file, it shows the following result −
ans = The range for int8 is: -128 to 127 ans = The range for int16 is: -32768 to 32767 ans = The range for int32 is: -2147483648 to 2147483647 ans = The range for int64 is: 0 to 0 ans = The range for uint8 is: 0 to 255 ans = The range for uint16 is: 0 to 65535 ans = The range for uint32 is: 0 to -1 ans = The range for uint64 is: 0 to 18446744073709551616
The functions realmax() and realmin() return the maximum and minimum values that can be represented with floating point numbers.
Both the functions when called with the argument 'single', return the maximum and minimum values that you can represent with the single-precision data type and when called with the argument 'double', return the maximum and minimum values that you can represent with the double-precision data type.
The following example illustrates how to obtain the smallest and largest floating point numbers. Create a script file and write the following code in it −
% displaying the smallest and largest single-precision % floating point number str = 'The range for single is:\n\t%g to %g and\n\t %g to %g'; sprintf(str, -realmax('single'), -realmin('single'), ... realmin('single'), realmax('single')) % displaying the smallest and largest double-precision % floating point number str = 'The range for double is:\n\t%g to %g and\n\t %g to %g'; sprintf(str, -realmax('double'), -realmin('double'), ... realmin('double'), realmax('double'))
When you run the file, it displays the following result −
ans = The range for single is: -3.40282e+38 to -1.17549e-38 and 1.17549e-38 to 3.40282e+38 ans = The range for double is: -1.79769e+308 to -2.22507e-308 and 2.22507e-308 to 1.79769e+308