Finding Mean of Vector x: A & B Equal?

In summary, the conversation is about a provided code that calculates the mean of a vector x using two for loops. The code is used to check the correctness of the answer to the question "for index =" which calculates the mean by hand. The provided code is giving an error message and the conversation discusses the possible mistake in the code and how to calculate the mean of a vector x in MATLAB.
  • #1
magma_saber
73
0

Homework Statement


Below are two for loops that each find the mean of all the values in the vector x. A and B should be equal to the mean of the vector x.

Homework Equations


The Attempt at a Solution


A = 0;
for index = mean(x)
A = A + x(index)/length(x);
end

B = 0;
for index = mean(x)
B = B + index/length(x);
end

A file was provided that checks to see if its right. when i execute it, it says, "Attempted to access x(6); index out of bounds because numel(x)=5." what am i doing wrong? most of the code was already provided. all it asks is what "for index =" is equal to.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #3


In this code, the variable "index" is being used as the index for the vector x. However, the value of "index" is being set to the mean of x, which is a single value and not a valid index for the vector x. Hence, when the code tries to access x(index), it is trying to access an index that is out of bounds because the vector x only has 5 elements.

To fix this issue, the "for" loop should be changed to iterate over the indices of the vector x, rather than the mean of x. This can be done using the "1:length(x)" syntax, which will iterate over all the indices from 1 to the length of x. The code should look something like this:

A = 0;
for index = 1:length(x)
A = A + x(index)/length(x);
end

B = 0;
for index = 1:length(x)
B = B + x(index)/length(x);
end

This way, the code will iterate over all the indices of x and calculate the mean correctly.
 

What is the definition of mean?

The mean is a measure of central tendency that represents the average of a set of numbers. It is calculated by adding all the numbers in the set and then dividing by the total number of numbers.

How do I calculate the mean of vector x?

To find the mean of a vector x, add all the values in the vector and then divide by the total number of values. For example, if vector x is [5, 10, 15], the mean would be (5+10+15)/3 = 10.

What does it mean when vector A and B are equal?

When two vectors, A and B, are equal, it means that they have the same magnitude and direction. In other words, they point in the same direction and their lengths are the same.

Why is finding the mean of vector x important in science?

The mean of a vector is important in science because it allows us to summarize data and understand patterns or trends. It also helps us make predictions and draw conclusions from the data.

Is there a difference between the mean of vector x and the average of vector x?

No, the mean and average of a vector are the same thing. Both terms refer to the central tendency or middle value of a set of numbers.

Similar threads

  • Engineering and Comp Sci Homework Help
Replies
2
Views
1K
  • Engineering and Comp Sci Homework Help
Replies
10
Views
1K
  • Engineering and Comp Sci Homework Help
Replies
15
Views
1K
  • Engineering and Comp Sci Homework Help
Replies
10
Views
1K
  • Engineering and Comp Sci Homework Help
Replies
1
Views
908
  • Engineering and Comp Sci Homework Help
Replies
2
Views
857
  • Engineering and Comp Sci Homework Help
Replies
21
Views
2K
  • Engineering and Comp Sci Homework Help
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • Engineering and Comp Sci Homework Help
Replies
8
Views
1K
  • Engineering and Comp Sci Homework Help
Replies
5
Views
1K
Back
Top