Examples

This example shows how to define functions at the command line with anonymous functions.

Integrating a Function

Consider the function 10*x.

If we want to allow any multiplier of x, not just 10, we might create a variable g (where g is initially set to 10), and create a new function

Let's do this in MATLAB® by creating a function handle h.

g = 10;
h = @(x) g*x;

You can integrate the function by passing its handle to the INTEGRAL function.

integral(h,1,10)

ans = 495.0000

Consider another function:

Create a function handle to this function where alpha = 0.9.

alpha = 0.9;
f = @(x) sin(alpha*x);

Plot the function and shade the area under it.

x = 0:pi/100:pi;
area(x,f(x)); % You can evaluate f without feval
title('f(x) = sin(\alpha x), \alpha =.9');

We can use the INTEGRAL function to calculate the area under the function between a range of values.

integral(f,0,pi)

ans = 2.1678

Minimizing a Function

Consider the function:

where a = 1, b = -2, and c = 1

Create a function handle for it.

a = 1;
b = -2;
c = 1;
f = @(x)(a*x.^2+b*x+c);

ezplot(f); % Plot the function
title('f(x)=ax^2+bx+c, a=1,b=-2,c=1');
hold on;

% Find and plot the minimum
minimum = fminbnd(f,-2,2);       % We can pass the function handle directly
                                 % to the minimization routine
plot(minimum,f(minimum),'d');    % We can evaluate the function without
                                 % using feval
grid;
hold off;

2D Functions

We can create handles to functions of many variables

a = pi;
b = 15;
f = @(x,y) (a*x+b*y);
ezsurf(f);
title('f(x,y) = ax+by, a = \pi, b = 15');

Function Composition

We can also create handles to functions of functions

f = @(x) x.^2;
g = @(x) 3*x;
h = @(x) g(f(x));
h(3)

ans = 27