Operators are special keywords or characters that perform specific functions. MATLAB supports the use of operators on both scalar and non-scalar data. The relational operators supported in MATLAB are listed and explained below:
Symbol | Description |
| Equal to |
| Not Equal to |
| Less than |
| Less than or equal to |
| Greater than |
| Greater than or equal to |
==)The == operator is used to determine if two numbers or arrays are equal.
In the case of numbers, the answer is 1 if the values are equal, and 0 if the values are not equal.
In the case of an array, an answer array is returned. The corresponding entries are 1 if the elements are equal, and 0 if the elements are not equal.
Let’s run some examples to understand this concept:
#Example 1X = 5Y = 5X == Y#Example 2X = 5Y = 3X == Y
In the example above, we compared two integer variables X and Y. For example one value of both X and Y is 5. Hence, the output of the == operator is 1 which also represents true. Contrarily, in example two, the output is 0, which is equivalent to the False status.
X = [5 6 7 9]Y = [5 7 6 9]X == Y
In the example above, we compared two arrays, X and Y. The == operator matches each index of array X with the corresponding index of array Y (index 1 of X with index 1 of Y and so on, convention followed by each operator). We will get an output in form of an array giving 1 on an index where both arrays have the same value and 0 where it is different.
Note: In Matlab index of the array starts with
1instead of0.
X = [5 6 7]Y = 5X == Y
In the example above, we compared an array X to a scaler Y. The == operator matches each index of array X with the variable Y. Again, output will be in form of an array giving 1 on an index where each index of X matches the value of variable Y.
~=)The ~= operator is used to determine the inequality of two numbers or arrays.
In the case of numbers, the answer is 1 if the values are not equal, and 0 if they are equal.
In the case of an array, an answer array is returned. The corresponding entries are 1 if the elements are not equal, and 0 if the elements are equal.
Let’s see some executable examples of this concept below:
# Comparing scalar to scalarX = 5Y = 5X ~= Y# we will get answer 0# Comparing Array to ArrayX = [5 6 7 9]Y = [5 7 6 9]X ~= Y# we will get answer [0 1 1 0]# Comparing Array to ScalarX = [5 6 7]Y = 5X ~= Y# we will get answer [0 1 1]
In the above examples, the ~= operator outputs the exact opposite of what we saw in previous == operator examples.
>)The > operator is used to determine the greater of two numbers or arrays.
In the case of numbers, the answer is 1 if the value on the left side of > is greater than the value on the right side. Otherwise, the answer is 0.
In the case of an array, an answer array is returned. The corresponding entries are 1 if the right array elements are greater than the left array elements. Otherwise, the answer array entries are 0.
Let’s solve some examples:
# Comparing scalar to scalarX = 6Y = 5X > Y# we will get answer = 1# Comparing Array to ArrayX = [5 6 7 9]Y = [5 7 6 10]X > Y# we will get answer [0 0 1 0]# Comparing Array to ScalarX = [5 6 7]Y = 5X > Y# we will get answer [0 1 1]
>=)The >= operator is used to determine the greater of two numbers or arrays or if they are equal.
In the case of numbers, the answer is 1 if the value on the left side of >= is greater than or equal to the value on the right side. Otherwise, the answer is 0.
In the case of an array, an answer array is returned. The corresponding entries are 1 if the right array elements are greater or equal to the corresponding left array elements. Otherwise, the answer array elements are 0.
Let’s look into some examples:
# Comparing scalar to scalarX = 6Y = 5X >= Y# we will get ans = 1 as X is greater than Y.# Comparing Array to ArrayX = [5 6 7 9]Y = [5 7 6 10]X >= Y# we will get answer [1 0 1 0]# Comparing Array to ScalarX = [5 6 7]Y = 5X >= Y# we will get answer [1 1 1].
<)The < operator is used to determine the lesser of two numbers or arrays.
In the case of numbers, the answer is 1 if the value on the left side of < is less than the value on the right side. Otherwise, the answer is 0.
In the case of an array, an answer array is returned. The corresponding entries are 1 if the right array elements are less than the corresponding left array elements. Otherwise, the answer array elements are 0.
# Comparing scalar to scalarX = 6Y = 5X < Y# we will get answer 0# Comparing Array to ArrayX = [5 6 7 9]Y = [5 7 6 10]X < Y# we will get answer [0 1 0 1]# Comparing Array to ScalarX = [5 2 3]Y = 5X < Y# we will get answer [0 1 1]
<=)The <= operator is used to determine the lesser of two numbers or arrays or determine if they are equal.
In the case of numbers, the answer is 1 if the value on the left side of <= is less than or equal to the value on the right side. Otherwise, the answer is 0.
In the case of an array, an answer array is returned. The corresponding entries are 1 if the right array elements are less than or equal to the corresponding left array element. Otherwise, the answer array elements are 0.
# Comparing scalar to scalarX = 6Y = 5X <= Y# we will get answer 0# Comparing Array to ArrayX = [5 6 7 9]Y = [5 7 6 10]X <= Y# we will get answer [1 1 0 1]# Comparing Array to ScalarX = [5 6 7]Y = 5X <= Y# we will get answer [1 0 0].
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