# Loops to create an array (matlab)

Gold Member

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## The Attempt at a Solution

I am basing my code off a template I found in a textbook for using loops to create an array. If I didn't find this example I don't think I would even know where to begin with this. Here is what I came up with so far

Code:
levelVals = [10, 4, 7];
n = 2*size(levelVals,2) - 1;
m = 2*size(levelVals,2) - 1;
boxArray = zeros(n,m);
for k = 1:n
for h = 1:m
if k == levelVals(1)
boxArray(k,h) = k;
elseif h == 1
boxArray(k,h) = levelVals(1);
else
boxArray(k,h) = levelVals(2);
end
end
end
boxArray;

Here is boxArray
Code:
boxArray =

10     4     4     4     4
10     4     4     4     4
10     4     4     4     4
10     4     4     4     4
10     4     4     4     4

Basically I thought just to have an array with 5x5 dimensions and use loops to add elements to the array with the numbers desired.

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Simon Bridge
Homework Helper
Basically I thought just to have an array with 5x5 dimensions and use loops to add elements to the array with the numbers desired.
... great, well done.
Did you have a question?

I notice the "boxArray" generated by your code is not like the one in the question attached.
It is better to understand things than copy code off some other source.

watch this:
Code:
octave:4> a=10*ones(5)
a =

10   10   10   10   10
10   10   10   10   10
10   10   10   10   10
10   10   10   10   10
10   10   10   10   10

octave:6> a(2:4,2:4)=5
a =

10   10   10   10   10
10    5    5    5   10
10    5    5    5   10
10    5    5    5   10
10   10   10   10   10

octave:5> a(3,3)=7
a =

10   10   10   10   10
10    5    5    5   10
10    5    7    5   10
10    5    5    5   10
10   10   10   10   10

... so you just need some loops to do that, starting with a general vector.

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Gold Member
Yes, I am having difficulty making my code create boxArray to look like what it is supposed to look like. My question is how to write the for loop to make that array

Simon Bridge
Homework Helper
I edited the prev post to get you a hint while you were replying ;)

Gold Member
I don't understand what your 4, 6, 5 > a(..,..) is doing. What is that doing, and why those numbers? Also, do you suggest I incorporate if elseif else end statements nested in my for loop?

Gold Member
This ended up doing it. I basically had to have the gsi hold my hand through the whole thing..this is frustrating as hell

Code:
n = length(levelVals);
boxArray = zeros(2*n-1,2*n-1);
for i = 1:length(levelVals)
boxArray(i:2*n-i,i) = levelVals(i);
boxArray(i,i:2*n-i) = levelVals(i);
boxArray(i:2*n-i,[i,2*n-i]) = levelVals(i);
boxArray([i,2*n-i],i:2*n-i) = levelVals(i);
end

Simon Bridge
Homework Helper
Well done.

To explain what I did:

you know that a(1,1) =5 will make the top-left element of a into a 5?
then a(1:3,1)=5 will make the top three elements of the left-most row into 5's.
and a(1,1:3)=5 will make the three leftmost elements of the top row into 5's...

what I was doing was selecting the elements that needed to be changed as a block so there was no need to step through them like the gsi had you do.

So you'd want to do something more like:
Code:
clear
levelVal=[10,5,7]; %% an arbitrary input vector
n=length(levelVals); s=2*n+1;

for k= 1:n
boxArray(k:s-k+1,k:s-k+1)=levelVals(k);
end
boxArray
... the last "boxArray" is to provide an output.

In the above example,
"clear" gives us a blank slate to work with.
n=3 so s=5

so k will go from 1 to 3.

when k=1, s-k+1=5
boxArray(1:5,1:5)=levelVal(1) will make a 5x5 array filled with 10's, and store it.

when k=2, s-k+1=4
boxArray(2:4,2:4)=levelVal(2) will make the middle 9 elements of the stored matrix into 5's
... see how this works? The square pattern is being built up like stacking blocks on top of each other.

when k=3, s-k+1=3
boxArray(3:3,3:3)=levelVal(3) will make the middle element into a 7.

You can experiment with indexing a matrix to get a feel for how it works.

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