ECE 101 Matlab Assignment #2
Ryan Fenn
. Due 21 Sep 2011
A programming language is how we give commands to computers so they do what we
instruct them to do. Program languages are used to, simply put, create various computer
programs, sometimes with specific inputs from another user. Basically a program language is
like legos that we stack together to build the programs that everyone uses on a day to day basis
that are constantly running in the background without our awareness.
Some of the most popular current programming languages include C, C++, C#, Java,
Ruby and of course Matlab. Although many more exist, these are the only ones that I am
familiar with.
Program languages differ in the same why that spoken languages differ. A word or
command might mean something else in a different language, or might mean nothing at all.
Since most programming languages seem to stem for a nearly out dated language called
“ForTran.” ForTran and Matlab seem to have a lot in common since they are mostly used for
mathematical computation.
The way that I think of syntax when it come to programming are the rules of the
language. For example, most statements in C must be followed by a semicolon. To omit a
semicolon would be considered a syntax error. Like in the English language, word must be said
in the right order to make sense, unless of course you happen to be Yoda.
To my understanding, Matlab is a program and a compiler that a user can enter
mathematical equations in and receive an output. Currently I don’t understand any practical
applications for Matlab since most of the equations could be done using a calculator; however, I
could see it being very useful if you have a very large equation with many variables. I feel that
Matlabs’ usefulness only exists in the class room as an example of programming structure,
although I am open to the idea that someone somewhere might use this to solve real world
equations.
