MATLAB-Projects

A collection of MATLAB tools and programs. Some are designed to be used as apps, others, as functions or scripts.

####Installing the Repository To use the functions here, you must first clone the repository onto your computer using Git.

If you are inexperienced using Git with Terminal, then you can use the GUI Applications.

#####Using Terminal Simply run:

git clone (url)

where (url) is the repository address (which should be displayed on the right of the GitHub page).

Now you should have the repository on your local machine. Enjoy!

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#CurvePlotter3D

A robust tool used to display graphical and mathematical information about 3D line curves, parametrized with respect to time. (This can be used in conjunction with Vector Calculus courses such as MATH 317)

####Installing the App Simply run the Curve Plotter 3D.mlappinstall file to install the app into your MATLAB.

####Starting up the program without installing the App

1. Open MATLAB
2. In the Current Folder window, drag CurvePlotter3D.m into the Command Window, this will run the program.
3. Voila! Simple as that!

####Instructions

Most of the controls are self-explanatory, but if you need extra help, simply hover your mouse cursor over a control, a help string will pop-up.

Some useful features:

• You can toggle To-Scale viewing in the bottom right portion of the program; this shows the curve according to real aspect ratios.
• Toggle position r(t), velocity r'(t), acceleration r''(t), as well as the tangent T(t), normal N(t), and binormal B(t) vectors simply by pressing the labels.
• View the exact answers of evaluations by toggling the Exact-Values in the bottom right.
• Play the motion of the particle at a specified rate in the bottom right.
• Rotate, zoom, and toggle grid using the plot toolbar at the top of the program.
• Calculate the Line Integral along the curve, either of a Vector Field type, or a Scalar Function.
• Find the length of the curve, as well as the distance travelled from the start time.

#parseResistance

A simple resistor calculator that has the extra 'parallel' operator.

parseResistance, with no arguments, prompts the user for the layout of the Resistors in a circuit.

To type the layout of a circuit, use numbers for the resistance values, and the operators:

• + for adding two resistors in series
• // for adding two resistors in parallel

Brackets are allowed, and the order of operations is BDMPAS = Brackets, Division, Multiplication, Parallel, Addition, Subtraction.

The function then returns the equivalent resistance.

parseResistance(inputString) returns the equivalent resistance of the given inputString, where inputString is just a string form of the circuit layout you type in.

####Example usage

Say we have a circuit with a 1 Ohm resistor in series with a group of 2 4 ohm resistors in parallel. In a string form, this circuit layout would be: 1 + 4//4.

To find the equivalent resistance, you can use the program as a script/command to prompt you:

>> parseResistance
Enter the circuit resistance layout: 1 + 4//4

ans =

     3

Or, you can use it more like a function:

>> parseResistance('1+4//4')

ans =

     3

#rod_heating

These are a bunch of programs designed to simulate the heating of a conductive, metal rod, using finite element analysis.

We are simulating a 1m long copper rod, sitting in a bath of ice water at 0 degrees Celsius, with a 100W heater on the left end of the rod.

• To run a visual simulator of the heating of the rod, run heating_rod_visualizer.m, or type heating_rod_visualizer in the MATLAB Command Prompt.
• To plot the temperature vs. time plot at a specific point on the rod, use the getTemperatureGradient.m function. Don't forget to surpress the output with a semi-colon; it's a big gradient matrix!
• The heatingRodTimeStep.m function does the actual heat flow calculations for each step.