svd

Singular value decomposition

Syntax

S = svd(A)

[U,S,V] = svd(A)

[___] = svd(A,"econ")

[___] = svd(A,0)

[___] = svd(___,outputForm)

Description

S = svd(A) returns the singular values of matrix A in descending order.

[U,S,V] = svd(A) performs a singular value decomposition of matrix A, such that A = U*S*V'.

[___] = svd(A,"econ") produces an economy-size decomposition of A using either of the previous output argument combinations. If A is an m-by-n matrix, then:

• m > n — Only the first n columns of U are computed, and S is n-by-n.

• m = n — svd(A,"econ") is equivalent to svd(A).

• m < n — Only the first m columns of V are computed, and S is m-by-m.

The economy-size decomposition removes extra rows or columns of zeros from the diagonal matrix of singular values, S, along with the columns in either U or V that multiply those zeros in the expression A = U*S*V'. Removing these zeros and columns can improve execution time and reduce storage requirements without compromising the accuracy of the decomposition.

[___] = svd(A,0) produces a different economy-size decomposition of m-by-n matrix A:

• m > n — svd(A,0) is equivalent to svd(A,"econ").

• m <= n — svd(A,0) is equivalent to svd(A).

The use of this syntax is not recommended. Use the "econ" option instead.

[___] = svd(___,outputForm) optionally specifies the output format for the singular values. You can use this option with any of the previous input or output argument combinations. Specify "vector" to return the singular values as a column vector, or "matrix" to return the singular values in a diagonal matrix.

Examples

Singular Values of Matrix

Compute the singular values of a full rank matrix.

A = [1 0 1; -1 -2 0; 0 1 -1]

A = 3×3

     1     0     1
    -1    -2     0
     0     1    -1

s = svd(A)

s = 3×1

    2.4605
    1.6996
    0.2391

Singular Value Decomposition

Find the singular value decomposition of a rectangular matrix A.

A = [1 2; 3 4; 5 6; 7 8]

A = 4×2

     1     2
     3     4
     5     6
     7     8

[U,S,V] = svd(A)

U = 4×4

   -0.1525   -0.8226   -0.3945   -0.3800
   -0.3499   -0.4214    0.2428    0.8007
   -0.5474   -0.0201    0.6979   -0.4614
   -0.7448    0.3812   -0.5462    0.0407

S = 4×2

   14.2691         0
         0    0.6268
         0         0
         0         0

V = 2×2

   -0.6414    0.7672
   -0.7672   -0.6414

Confirm the relation A = U*S*V', within machine precision.

U*S*V'

ans = 4×2

    1.0000    2.0000
    3.0000    4.0000
    5.0000    6.0000
    7.0000    8.0000

Economy-Size Decomposition

Calculate the complete and economy-size decompositions of a rectangular matrix.

A = [1 2; 3 4; 5 6; 7 8]

A = 4×2

     1     2
     3     4
     5     6
     7     8

[U,S,V] = svd(A)

U = 4×4

   -0.1525   -0.8226   -0.3945   -0.3800
   -0.3499   -0.4214    0.2428    0.8007
   -0.5474   -0.0201    0.6979   -0.4614
   -0.7448    0.3812   -0.5462    0.0407

S = 4×2

   14.2691         0
         0    0.6268
         0         0
         0         0

V = 2×2

   -0.6414    0.7672
   -0.7672   -0.6414

[U,S,V] = svd(A,"econ")

U = 4×2

   -0.1525   -0.8226
   -0.3499   -0.4214
   -0.5474   -0.0201
   -0.7448    0.3812

S = 2×2

   14.2691         0
         0    0.6268

V = 2×2

   -0.6414    0.7672
   -0.7672   -0.6414

Since A is 4-by-2, svd(A,"econ") returns fewer columns in U and fewer rows in S compared to a complete decomposition. Extra rows of zeros in S are excluded, along with the corresponding columns in U that would multiply with those zeros in the expression A = U*S*V'.

Control Singular Value Output Format

Create a 6-by-6 magic square matrix and calculate the SVD. By default, svd returns the singular values in a diagonal matrix when you specify multiple outputs.

A = magic(6);
[U,S,V] = svd(A)

U = 6×6

   -0.4082    0.5574    0.0456   -0.4182    0.3092    0.5000
   -0.4082   -0.2312    0.6301   -0.2571   -0.5627    0.0000
   -0.4082    0.4362    0.2696    0.5391    0.1725   -0.5000
   -0.4082   -0.3954   -0.2422   -0.4590    0.3971   -0.5000
   -0.4082    0.1496   -0.6849    0.0969   -0.5766    0.0000
   -0.4082   -0.5166   -0.0182    0.4983    0.2604    0.5000

S = 6×6

  111.0000         0         0         0         0         0
         0   50.6802         0         0         0         0
         0         0   34.3839         0         0         0
         0         0         0   10.1449         0         0
         0         0         0         0    5.5985         0
         0         0         0         0         0    0.0000

V = 6×6

   -0.4082    0.6234   -0.3116    0.2495    0.2511    0.4714
   -0.4082   -0.6282    0.3425    0.1753    0.2617    0.4714
   -0.4082   -0.4014   -0.7732   -0.0621   -0.1225   -0.2357
   -0.4082    0.1498    0.2262   -0.4510    0.5780   -0.4714
   -0.4082    0.1163    0.2996    0.6340   -0.3255   -0.4714
   -0.4082    0.1401    0.2166   -0.5457   -0.6430    0.2357

Specify the "vector" option to return the singular values in a column vector.

[U,S,V] = svd(A,"vector")

U = 6×6

   -0.4082    0.5574    0.0456   -0.4182    0.3092    0.5000
   -0.4082   -0.2312    0.6301   -0.2571   -0.5627    0.0000
   -0.4082    0.4362    0.2696    0.5391    0.1725   -0.5000
   -0.4082   -0.3954   -0.2422   -0.4590    0.3971   -0.5000
   -0.4082    0.1496   -0.6849    0.0969   -0.5766    0.0000
   -0.4082   -0.5166   -0.0182    0.4983    0.2604    0.5000

S = 6×1

  111.0000
   50.6802
   34.3839
   10.1449
    5.5985
    0.0000

V = 6×6

   -0.4082    0.6234   -0.3116    0.2495    0.2511    0.4714
   -0.4082   -0.6282    0.3425    0.1753    0.2617    0.4714
   -0.4082   -0.4014   -0.7732   -0.0621   -0.1225   -0.2357
   -0.4082    0.1498    0.2262   -0.4510    0.5780   -0.4714
   -0.4082    0.1163    0.2996    0.6340   -0.3255   -0.4714
   -0.4082    0.1401    0.2166   -0.5457   -0.6430    0.2357

If you specify one output argument, such as S = svd(A), then svd switches behavior to return the singular values in a column vector by default. In that case, you can specify the "matrix" option to return the singular values as a diagonal matrix.

Rank, Column Space, and Null Space of Matrix

Use the results of the singular value decomposition to determine the rank, column space, and null space of a matrix.

A = [2 0 2; 0 1 0; 0 0 0]

A = 3×3

     2     0     2
     0     1     0
     0     0     0

[U,S,V] = svd(A)

U = 3×3

     1     0     0
     0     1     0
     0     0     1

S = 3×3

    2.8284         0         0
         0    1.0000         0
         0         0         0

V = 3×3

    0.7071         0   -0.7071
         0    1.0000         0
    0.7071         0    0.7071

Calculate the rank using the number of nonzero singular values.

s = diag(S);
rank_A = nnz(s)

rank_A = 2

Compute an orthonormal basis for the column space of A using the columns of U that correspond to nonzero singular values.

column_basis = U(:,logical(s))

column_basis = 3×2

     1     0
     0     1
     0     0

Compute an orthonormal basis for the null space of A using the columns of V that correspond to singular values equal to zero.

null_basis = V(:,~s)

null_basis = 3×1

   -0.7071
         0
    0.7071

The functions rank, orth, and null provide convenient ways to calculate these quantities.

Input Arguments

A — Input matrix

matrix

Input matrix. A can be either square or rectangular in size.

Data Types: single | double
Complex Number Support: Yes

outputForm — Output format of singular values

"vector" | "matrix"

Output format of singular values, specified as one of these values:

• "vector" — S is a column vector. This is the default behavior when you specify one output, S = svd(X).

• "matrix" — S is a diagonal matrix. This is the default behavior when you specify multiple outputs, [U,S,V] = svd(X).

Example: [U,S,V] = svd(X,"vector") returns S as a column vector instead of a diagonal matrix.

Example: S = svd(X,"matrix") returns S as a diagonal matrix instead of a column vector.

Data Types: char | string

Output Arguments

U — Left singular vectors

matrix

Left singular vectors, returned as the columns of a matrix.

• For an m-by-n matrix A with m > n, the economy-sized decomposition svd(A,"econ") computes only the first n columns of U. In this case, the columns of U are orthogonal and U is an m-by-n matrix that satisfies $$U^{H}U=I_n$$.

• For complete decompositions, svd(A) returns U as an m-by-m unitary matrix satisfying $$U{U}^H=U^{H}U=I_m$$. The columns of U that correspond to nonzero singular values form a set of orthonormal basis vectors for the range of A.

Different machines and releases of MATLAB^® can produce different singular vectors that are still numerically accurate. Corresponding columns in U and V can flip their signs, since this does not affect the value of the expression A = U*S*V'.

S — Singular values

diagonal matrix | column vector

Singular values, returned as a diagonal matrix or column vector. The singular values are nonnegative and returned in decreasing order.

If A is an m-by-n matrix, and S is a diagonal matrix, then the size of S is as follows:

• The economy-sized decomposition svd(A,"econ") returns S as a square matrix of order min([m,n]).

• For complete decompositions, svd(A) returns S with the same size as A.

Additionally, the singular values in S are returned in a column vector or diagonal matrix depending on how you call svd and whether you specify the outputForm option:

• If you call svd with one output or specify the "vector" option, then S is a column vector.

• If you call svd with multiple outputs or specify the "matrix" option, then S is a diagonal matrix.

Depending on whether you specify one output or multiple outputs, svd can return different singular values that are still numerically accurate.

V — Right singular vectors

matrix

Right singular vectors, returned as the columns of a matrix.

• For an m-by-n matrix A with m < n, the economy decomposition svd(A,"econ") computes only the first m columns of V. In this case, the columns of V are orthogonal and V is an n-by-m matrix that satisfies $$V^{H}V=I_m$$.

• For complete decompositions, svd(A) returns V as an n-by-n unitary matrix satisfying $$V{V}^H=V^{H}V=I_n$$. The columns of V that do not correspond to nonzero singular values form a set of orthonormal basis vectors for the null space of A.

Different machines and releases of MATLAB can produce different singular vectors that are still numerically accurate. Corresponding columns in U and V can flip their signs, since this does not affect the value of the expression A = U*S*V'.

Extended Capabilities

Tall Arrays

Calculate with arrays that have more rows than fit in memory.

Usage notes and limitations:

• The three-output syntax [U,S,V] = svd(X) is not supported. For three outputs, you must specify svd(X,"econ") , and can optionally specify the "vector" or "matrix" options.

• With one output s = svd(X,...), the singular values must be returned as a vector unless you specify "econ".

For more information, see Tall Arrays.

C/C++ Code Generation

Generate C and C++ code using MATLAB® Coder™.

Usage notes and limitations:

• Code generation uses a different SVD implementation than MATLAB uses. Because the singular value decomposition is not unique, left and right singular vectors might differ from those computed by MATLAB.

• Code generation does not support sparse matrix inputs for this function.

GPU Code Generation

Generate CUDA® code for NVIDIA® GPUs using GPU Coder™.

Usage notes and limitations:

• Code generation uses a different SVD implementation than MATLAB uses. Because the singular value decomposition is not unique, left and right singular vectors might differ from those computed by MATLAB.

• When the input matrix contains a nonfinite value, the generated code does not issue an error. Instead, the output contains NaN values.

• Code generation does not support sparse matrix inputs for this function.

Thread-Based Environment

Run code in the background using MATLAB® backgroundPool or accelerate code with Parallel Computing Toolbox™ ThreadPool.

This function fully supports thread-based environments. For more information, see Run MATLAB Functions in Thread-Based Environment.

GPU Arrays

Accelerate code by running on a graphics processing unit (GPU) using Parallel Computing Toolbox™.

The svd function fully supports GPU arrays. To run the function on a GPU, specify the input data as a gpuArray (Parallel Computing Toolbox). For more information, see Run MATLAB Functions on a GPU (Parallel Computing Toolbox).

Distributed Arrays

Partition large arrays across the combined memory of your cluster using Parallel Computing Toolbox™.

Usage notes and limitations:

• If the input matrix A is rectangular, then you must specify economy-size decomposition using the "econ" option.

For more information, see Run MATLAB Functions with Distributed Arrays (Parallel Computing Toolbox).

Version History

Introduced before R2006a

R2022b: "0" syntax not recommended for economy-size decompositions

The syntax [___] = svd(A,0) will continue to be supported, but is no longer recommended. Use the "econ" option to perform economy-size decompositions instead.

R2021b: Specify output format

Specify outputForm as "vector" or "matrix" to control whether svd returns the output arguments as vectors or matrices. For large decompositions, returning the outputs as vectors can save memory and improve efficiency.

R2021b: svd returns NaN for nonfinite inputs

svd returns NaN values when the input contains nonfinite values (Inf or NaN). Previously, svd threw an error when the input contained nonfinite values.