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Symbolic Math Toolbox™
User's Guide
R2020a
How to Contact MathWorks
Phone: 508-647-7000
Getting Started
1
Symbolic Math Toolbox Product Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Key Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
v
Copy and Paste Symbolic Output in Live Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Differentiation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-46
Derivatives of Expressions with Several Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-47
More Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-48
Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-56
One-Sided Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-56
Integration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-59
Integration with Real Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-61
Integration with Complex Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-62
High-Precision Numerical Integration Using Variable-Precision Arithmetic
..................................................... 2-63
vi Contents
Simplify Symbolic Expressions Using Live Editor Task . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-94
vii
Symbolic Linear Algebra Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-141
Variable-Precision Arithmetic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-142
Symbolic Investigation of Singular Value . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-143
Eigenvalues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-145
viii Contents
Solve Differential Algebraic Equations (DAEs) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-194
ix
Generate MATLAB Function Blocks from Symbolic Expressions . . . . . 2-270
Generate and Edit a Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-270
Control the Order of Input Ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-270
Name the Output Ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-270
Functions
4
x Contents
1
Getting Started
Symbolic Math Toolbox provides functions for solving, plotting, and manipulating symbolic math
equations. You can create, run, and share symbolic math code using the MATLAB Live Editor. The
toolbox provides functions in common mathematical areas such as calculus, linear algebra, algebraic
and ordinary differential equations, equation simplification, and equation manipulation.
Symbolic Math Toolbox lets you analytically perform differentiation, integration, simplification,
transforms, and equation solving. You can perform dimensional computations and conversions using
SI and US unit systems. Your computations can be performed either analytically or using variable-
precision arithmetic, with the results displayed in mathematical typeset.
You can share your symbolic work with other MATLAB users as live scripts or convert them to HTML
or PDF for publication. You can generate MATLAB functions, Simulink® function blocks, and
Simscape™ equations directly from symbolic expressions.
Key Features
• Symbolic integration, differentiation, transforms, and linear algebra
• Algebraic and ordinary differential equation (ODE) solvers
• Simplification and manipulation of symbolic expressions
• Unit systems for specifying, converting, and computing using SI, US, and custom unit systems
• Plotting of analytical functions in 2D and 3D
• Symbolic expression conversion to MATLAB, Simulink, Simscape, C, Fortran, and LaTeX code
• Variable-precision arithmetic
1-2
Create Symbolic Numbers, Variables, and Expressions
Create a symbolic number by using sym and compare it to the same floating-point number.
sym(1/3)
1/3
ans =
1/3
ans =
0.3333
The symbolic number is represented in exact rational form, while the floating-point number is a
decimal approximation. The symbolic result is not indented, while the standard MATLAB result is
indented.
Calculations on symbolic numbers are exact. Demonstrate this exactness by finding sin(pi)
symbolically and numerically. The symbolic result is exact, while the numeric result is an
approximation.
sin(sym(pi))
sin(pi)
ans =
0
ans =
1.2246e-16
To learn more about symbolic representation of numbers, see “Numeric to Symbolic Conversion” on
page 2-136.
• sym – Create numbered symbolic variables or create symbolic variables in MATLAB functions.
• syms – Create fresh symbolic variables for interactive symbolic workflows, that is, for symbolic
variable creation at the MATLAB command line or in MATLAB live scripts. A fresh symbolic
variable does not have any assumptions.
The syms command is shorthand for the sym syntax, but the two functions handle assumptions
differently. For more details, see “Reuse Names of Symbolic Objects” on page 1-5.
Create the symbolic variables x and y using syms and sym, respectively.
syms x
y = sym('y')
1-3
1 Getting Started
The first command creates a symbolic variable x in the MATLAB workspace with the value x assigned
to the variable x. The second command creates a symbolic variable y with the value y.
With syms, you can create multiple variables in one command. Create the variables a, b, and c.
syms a b c
If you want to create a MATLAB array of numbered symbolic variables, the syms syntax is
inconvenient. Therefore, use sym instead to create an array of many numbered symbolic variables.
Clear the workspace. Create a row vector containing the symbolic variables a1, ..., a20 and
assign it to the MATLAB variable A. Display the variable in the MATLAB workspace.
clear all
A = sym('a', [1 20])
whos
A =
[ a1, a2, a3, a4, a5, a6, a7, a8, a9, a10,...
a11, a12, a13, a14, a15, a16, a17, a18, a19, a20]
A 1x20 8 sym
By combining sym and syms, you can create many fresh symbolic variables with corresponding
variables name in the MATLAB workspace.
Clear the workspace. Create the fresh symbolic variables a1, ..., a10 and assign them the
MATLAB variable names a1, ..., a10, respectively. Display the variables in the MATLAB
workspace.
clear all
syms(sym('a', [1 10]))
whos
a1 1x1 8 sym
a10 1x1 8 sym
a2 1x1 8 sym
a3 1x1 8 sym
a4 1x1 8 sym
a5 1x1 8 sym
a6 1x1 8 sym
a7 1x1 8 sym
a8 1x1 8 sym
a9 1x1 8 sym
The MATLAB workspace contains 10 MATLAB variables that are symbolic variables.
The syms command is a convenient shorthand for the sym syntax, and its typical use is to create fresh
symbolic variables for interactive symbolic workflows. Use the sym syntax to create the following:
1-4
Create Symbolic Numbers, Variables, and Expressions
1+ 5
φ=
2
The command
phi = (1 + sqrt(sym(5)))/2;
achieves this goal. Now you can perform various mathematical operations on phi. For example,
f = phi^2 - phi - 1
returns
f =
(5^(1/2)/2 + 1/2)^2 - 5^(1/2)/2 - 3/2
Now suppose you want to study the quadratic function f = ax2 + bx + c. First, create the symbolic
variables a, b, c, and x:
syms a b c x
Tip To create a symbolic number, use the sym command. Do not use the syms function to create a
symbolic expression that is a constant. For example, to create the expression whose value is 5, enter
f = sym(5). The command f = 5 does not define f as a symbolic expression.
returns
f =
a + b
1-5
1 Getting Started
syms f
f
f =
f
You can use the syms command to clear variables of definitions that you previously assigned to them
in your MATLAB session. syms clears the assumptions of the variables: complex, real, integer, and
positive. These assumptions are stored separately from the symbolic object. However, recreating a
variable using sym does not clear its assumptions. For more information, see “Delete Symbolic
Objects and Their Assumptions” on page 1-25.
See Also
More About
• “Create Symbolic Functions” on page 1-7
• “Create Symbolic Matrices” on page 1-9
• “Choose syms or sym Function” on page 2-5
• “Perform Symbolic Computations” on page 1-11
• “Use Assumptions on Symbolic Variables” on page 1-24
1-6
Create Symbolic Functions
Create a symbolic function f with variables x and y by using syms. Creating f automatically creates
x and y.
syms f(x,y)
f(x,y) = x^2*y
f(x, y) =
x^2*y
f(3,2)
ans =
18
Symbolic functions accept array inputs. Calculate f for multiple values of x and y.
xVal = 1:5;
yVal = 3:7;
f(xVal,yVal)
ans =
[ 3, 16, 45, 96, 175]
You can differentiate symbolic functions, integrate or simplify them, substitute their arguments with
values, and perform other mathematical operations. For example, find the derivative of f(x,y) with
respect to x. The result dfx is also a symbolic function.
dfx = diff(f,x)
dfx(x,y) =
2*x*y
Calculate df(x,y) at x = y + 1.
dfx(y+1,y)
ans =
2*y*(y + 1)
If you are creating a constant function, such as f(x,y) = 1, you must first create f(x,y). If you do
not create f(x,y), then the assignment f(x,y) = 1 throws an error.
1-7
1 Getting Started
See Also
More About
• “Create Symbolic Numbers, Variables, and Expressions” on page 1-3
• “Create Symbolic Matrices” on page 1-9
• “Perform Symbolic Computations” on page 1-11
• “Use Assumptions on Symbolic Variables” on page 1-24
1-8
Create Symbolic Matrices
syms a b c
A = [a b c; c a b; b c a]
A =
[ a, b, c]
[ c, a, b]
[ b, c, a]
Since matrix A is circulant, the sum of elements over each row and each column is the same. Find the
sum of all the elements of the first row:
sum(A(1,:))
ans =
a + b + c
To check if the sum of the elements of the first row equals the sum of the elements of the second
column, use the isAlways function:
isAlways(sum(A(1,:)) == sum(A(:,2)))
ans =
logical
1
From this example, you can see that using symbolic objects is very similar to using regular MATLAB
numeric objects.
1-9
1 Getting Started
A = sym('A', [2 4])
A =
[ A1_1, A1_2, A1_3, A1_4]
[ A2_1, A2_2, A2_3, A2_4]
To control the format of the generated names of matrix elements, use %d in the first argument:
A = sym('A%d%d', [2 4])
A =
[ A11, A12, A13, A14]
[ A21, A22, A23, A24]
A = hilb(3)
A =
1.0000 0.5000 0.3333
0.5000 0.3333 0.2500
0.3333 0.2500 0.2000
By applying sym to A
A = sym(A)
you can obtain the precise symbolic form of the 3-by-3 Hilbert matrix:
A =
[ 1, 1/2, 1/3]
[ 1/2, 1/3, 1/4]
[ 1/3, 1/4, 1/5]
For more information on numeric to symbolic conversions, see “Numeric to Symbolic Conversion” on
page 2-136.
See Also
More About
• “Create Symbolic Numbers, Variables, and Expressions” on page 1-3
• “Create Symbolic Functions” on page 1-7
• “Perform Symbolic Computations” on page 1-11
• “Use Assumptions on Symbolic Variables” on page 1-24
1-10
Perform Symbolic Computations
In this section...
“Differentiate Symbolic Expressions” on page 1-11
“Integrate Symbolic Expressions” on page 1-12
“Solve Equations” on page 1-13
“Simplify Symbolic Expressions” on page 1-15
“Substitutions in Symbolic Expressions” on page 1-16
“Plot Symbolic Functions” on page 1-18
For in-depth information on taking symbolic derivatives see “Differentiation” on page 2-46.
To differentiate a symbolic expression, use the diff command. The following example illustrates how
to take a first derivative of a symbolic expression:
syms x
f = sin(x)^2;
diff(f)
ans =
2*cos(x)*sin(x)
Partial Derivatives
For multivariable expressions, you can specify the differentiation variable. If you do not specify any
variable, MATLAB chooses a default variable by its proximity to the letter x:
syms x y
f = sin(x)^2 + cos(y)^2;
diff(f)
ans =
2*cos(x)*sin(x)
For the complete set of rules MATLAB applies for choosing a default variable, see “Find a Default
Symbolic Variable” on page 2-3.
1-11
1 Getting Started
syms x y
f = sin(x)^2 + cos(y)^2;
diff(f, y)
ans =
-2*cos(y)*sin(y)
To take a second derivative of the symbolic expression f with respect to a variable y, enter:
syms x y
f = sin(x)^2 + cos(y)^2;
diff(f, y, 2)
ans =
2*sin(y)^2 - 2*cos(y)^2
You get the same result by taking derivative twice: diff(diff(f, y)). To take mixed derivatives,
use two differentiation commands. For example:
syms x y
f = sin(x)^2 + cos(y)^2;
diff(diff(f, y), x)
ans =
0
For in-depth information on the int command including integration with real and complex
parameters, see “Integration” on page 2-59.
Suppose you want to integrate a symbolic expression. The first step is to create the symbolic
expression:
syms x
f = sin(x)^2;
int(f)
ans =
x/2 - sin(2*x)/4
If the expression depends on multiple symbolic variables, you can designate a variable of integration.
If you do not specify any variable, MATLAB chooses a default variable by the proximity to the letter x:
1-12
Perform Symbolic Computations
syms x y n
f = x^n + y^n;
int(f)
ans =
x*y^n + (x*x^n)/(n + 1)
For the complete set of rules MATLAB applies for choosing a default variable, see “Find a Default
Symbolic Variable” on page 2-3.
You also can integrate the expression f = x^n + y^n with respect to y
syms x y n
f = x^n + y^n;
int(f, y)
ans =
x^n*y + (y*y^n)/(n + 1)
syms x y n
f = x^n + y^n;
int(f, n)
ans =
x^n/log(x) + y^n/log(y)
Definite Integrals
To find a definite integral, pass the limits of integration as the final two arguments of the int
function:
syms x y n
f = x^n + y^n;
int(f, 1, 10)
ans =
piecewise(n == -1, log(10) + 9/y, n ~= -1,...
(10*10^n - 1)/(n + 1) + 9*y^n)
syms x
int(sin(sinh(x)))
ans =
int(sin(sinh(x)), x)
Solve Equations
You can solve different types of symbolic equations including:
1-13
1 Getting Started
For in-depth information on solving symbolic equations including differential equations, see “Equation
Solving”.
Use the double equal sign (==) to define an equation. Then you can solve the equation by calling
the solve function. For example, solve this equation:
syms x
solve(x^3 - 6*x^2 == 6 - 11*x)
ans =
1
2
3
If you do not specify the right side of the equation, solve assumes that it is zero:
syms x
solve(x^3 - 6*x^2 + 11*x - 6)
ans =
1
2
3
If an equation contains several symbolic variables, you can specify a variable for which this equation
should be solved. For example, solve this multivariable equation with respect to y:
syms x y
solve(6*x^2 - 6*x^2*y + x*y^2 - x*y + y^3 - y^2 == 0, y)
ans =
1
2*x
-3*x
If you do not specify any variable, you get the solution of an equation for the alphabetically closest to
x variable. For the complete set of rules MATLAB applies for choosing a default variable see “Find a
Default Symbolic Variable” on page 2-3.
syms x y z
[x, y, z] = solve(z == 4*x, x == y, z == x^2 + y^2)
x =
0
2
y =
0
1-14
Perform Symbolic Computations
z =
0
8
phi = (1 + sqrt(sym(5)))/2;
f = phi^2 - phi - 1
returns
f =
(5^(1/2)/2 + 1/2)^2 - 5^(1/2)/2 - 3/2
simplify(f)
ans =
0
syms x
f = (x ^2- 1)*(x^4 + x^3 + x^2 + x + 1)*(x^4 - x^3 + x^2 - x + 1);
expand(f)
ans =
x^10 - 1
The factor simplification function shows the polynomial roots. If a polynomial cannot be factored
over the rational numbers, the output of the factor function is the standard polynomial form. For
example, to factor the third-order polynomial, enter:
syms x
g = x^3 + 6*x^2 + 11*x + 6;
factor(g)
ans =
[ x + 3, x + 2, x + 1]
The nested (Horner) representation of a polynomial is the most efficient for numerical evaluations:
1-15
1 Getting Started
syms x
h = x^5 + x^4 + x^3 + x^2 + x;
horner(h)
ans =
x*(x*(x*(x*(x + 1) + 1) + 1) + 1)
For a list of Symbolic Math Toolbox simplification functions, see “Choose Function to Rearrange
Expression” on page 2-104.
You can substitute a symbolic variable with a numeric value by using the subs function. For example,
evaluate the symbolic expression f at the point x = 1/3:
syms x
f = 2*x^2 - 3*x + 1;
subs(f, 1/3)
ans =
2/9
f =
2*x^2 - 3*x + 1
When your expression contains more than one variable, you can specify the variable for which you
want to make the substitution. For example, to substitute the value x = 3 in the symbolic expression
syms x y
f = x^2*y + 5*x*sqrt(y);
subs(f, x, 3)
ans =
9*y + 15*y^(1/2)
You also can substitute one symbolic variable for another symbolic variable. For example to replace
the variable y with the variable x, enter
subs(f, y, x)
ans =
x^3 + 5*x^(3/2)
1-16
Perform Symbolic Computations
You can also substitute a matrix into a symbolic polynomial with numeric coefficients. There are two
ways to substitute a matrix into a polynomial: element by element and according to matrix
multiplication rules.
Element-by-Element Substitution
syms x
f = x^3 - 15*x^2 - 24*x + 350;
A = [1 2 3; 4 5 6];
subs(f,A)
ans =
[ 312, 250, 170]
[ 78, -20, -118]
If you want to substitute a matrix into a polynomial using standard matrix multiplication rules, a
matrix must be square. For example, you can substitute the magic square A into a polynomial f:
syms x
f = x^3 - 15*x^2 - 24*x + 350;
2 Create the magic square matrix:
A = magic(3)
A =
8 1 6
3 5 7
4 9 2
3 Get a row vector containing the numeric coefficients of the polynomial f:
b = sym2poly(f)
b =
1 -15 -24 350
4 Substitute the magic square matrix A into the polynomial f. Matrix A replaces all occurrences of
x in the polynomial. The constant times the identity matrix eye(3) replaces the constant term of
f:
ans =
-10 0 0
0 -10 0
0 0 -10
The polyvalm command provides an easy way to obtain the same result:
polyvalm(b,A)
1-17
1 Getting Started
ans =
-10 0 0
0 -10 0
0 0 -10
To substitute a set of elements in a symbolic matrix, also use the subs command. Suppose you want
to replace some of the elements of a symbolic circulant matrix A
syms a b c
A = [a b c; c a b; b c a]
A =
[ a, b, c]
[ c, a, b]
[ b, c, a]
To replace the (2, 1) element of A with beta and the variable b throughout the matrix with variable
alpha, enter
alpha = sym('alpha');
beta = sym('beta');
A(2,1) = beta;
A = subs(A,b,alpha)
A =
[ a, alpha, c]
[ beta, a, alpha]
[ alpha, c, a]
For more information, see “Substitute Elements in Symbolic Matrices” on page 2-119.
Create a 2-D line plot by using fplot. Plot the expression x3 − 6x2 + 11x − 6.
syms x
f = x^3 - 6*x^2 + 11*x - 6;
fplot(f)
1-18
Perform Symbolic Computations
Add labels for the x- and y-axes. Generate the title by using texlabel(f). Show the grid by using
grid on. For details, see “Add Title and Axis Labels to Chart” (MATLAB).
xlabel('x')
ylabel('y')
title(texlabel(f))
grid on
1-19
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finished carving when he looked across the table and said: “Dear, I
can’t stand it any longer. I’m going to get into this fight to make the
world right.” You know how your face went white and your heart for
an instant stopped beating. But what I don’t believe you do know is
that you are at this moment getting ready to play your part in one of
the most tremendous epochs of the world. It is not only Liège and
the Marne and Somme, and Haig and Joffre and Pétain and
Pershing who are making history to-day. Keokuk, Iowa, and
Kalamazoo, Mich., and Little Falls, N. Y., are too—and you and the
woman who lives next door!
THE NEW WOMAN MOVEMENT
Every man who enlists at that tent near the post office is going to
leave a job somewhere whether it’s at the factory or the doctor’s
office or the school teacher’s desk, or whether it’s your husband.
That job will have to be taken by a woman. It’s what happened in
Europe. It’s what now we may see happen here. A great many
women will have a wage envelope who never had it before. That
may mean affluence to a housefull of daughters. One, two, three,
four wage envelopes in a family where father’s used to be the only
one. You even may have to go out to earn enough to support
yourself and the babies. Yes, I know your husband’s army pay and
the income from investments carefully accumulated through the
savings of your married life, will help quite a little. But with the ever
rising war cost of living, it may not be enough. It hasn’t been for
thousands of homes in Europe. And eventually you too may go to
work as other women have. It’s very strange, is it not, for you of all
women who have always believed that woman’s place was the
home. And you may even have been an “anti,” a most earnest
advocate of an ancient régime against which whole societies and
associations of what yesterday were called “advanced” women
organised their “suffrage” protests.
To-day no one any longer has to believe what is woman’s place.
No woman even has anything to say about it. Read everywhere the
signs: Women Wanted! Here in New York we are seeing shipload
after shipload of men going out to sea in khaki. We don’t know how
many boat loads like that will go down the bay. But for an army of
every million American men in Europe, there must be mobilised
another million women to take their places behind the lines here
3,000 miles away from the guns, to carry on the auxiliary operations
without which the armies in the field could not exist.
In the department store where you shopped to-day you noticed an
elevator girl had arrived, where the operator always before has been
a boy! Outside the window of my country house here as I write, off
on that field on the hillside a woman is working, who never worked
there before. At Lexington, Mass., I read in my morning paper, the
Rev. Christopher Walter Collier has gone to the front in France and
his wife has been unanimously elected by the congregation to fill the
pulpit during his absence. Sometimes women by the hundred step
into new vacancies. The Æolian Company is advertising for women
as piano salesmen and has established a special school for their
instruction. A Chicago manufacturing plant has hung out over its
employment gate the announcement, “Man’s work, man’s pay for all
women who can qualify,” and within a week two hundred women
were at work. The Pennsylvania railroad, which has rigidly opposed
the employment of women on its office staffs, in June, 1917,
announced a change of policy and took on in its various departments
five hundred women and girls. The Municipal Service Commission in
New York last fall was holding its first examination to admit women to
the position of junior draughtsmen in the city’s employ. The Civil
Service Commission at Washington, preparing to release every
possible man from government positions for war service, had
compiled a list of 10,000 women eligible for clerical work in
government departments.
Like that it is happening all about us. This is the new woman
movement. And you’re in it. We all are. I know: you may never have
carried a suffrage banner or marched in a suffrage procession or so
much as addressed a suffrage campaign envelope. But you’re
“moving” to-day just the same if you’ve only so much as rolled a Red
Cross bandage or signed a Food Administration pledge offered you
by the women’s committee of the Council of National Defence. All
the women of the world are moving.
“Suffrage de la morte,” a Senator on the Seine has termed the
vote offered the French feminists in the form of a proposition that
every man dying on the field of battle may transfer his ballot to a
woman whom he shall designate. And the French women have
drawn back in horror, exclaiming: “We don’t want a dead man’s vote.
We want only our own vote.” Nevertheless it is something like this
which is occurring.
And we may shudder, but we may not draw back. It is by way of
the place de la morte, that women are moving inexorably to-day into
industry and commerce and the professions, on to strange new
destinies that shall not be denied.
There on the firing line a bullet whizzes straight to the mark. A
man drops dead in the trenches. Some wife’s husband, some girl’s
sweetheart who before he was a soldier was a wage earner, never
will be more. Back home another woman who had been temporarily
enrolled in the ranks of industry, steps forward, enlisted for life in the
army of labour.
Dear God, what a price to pay for the freedom the feminists have
asked. But this is not our woman movement. This is His woman
movement, who moves in mysterious ways His ends to command.
We may not know. And we do not understand. But as we watch the
war clouds, we see, as it were in the lightning flash of truth, the
illuminated way that is opening for women throughout the world. It is
westward to us that this star of opportunity has taken its course
directly from above the battlefields of Europe.
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