referencing arrays

I have 2 arrys that are the same size, I'd like to use the values from one array to reference values in the other.

Example

action = 
['short']
['long']
['waiting']
['short']

profit = 
[-50.00]
[100.00]
[0]
[20.00]

I'd like to take the profit values where action = 'short' and put them into a third array called results.

so results = [-50.00] [20.00]

what is the best way to do this?

Answer 1

[Sean de Wolski]

action = {
['short']
['long']
['waiting']
['short']};

profit = {
[-50.00]
[100.00]
[0]
[20.00]};

results = profit(ismember(action,'short'))

Answer 2

[Jan]

action = {'short' 'long' 'waiting' 'short'};
result = profit(strcmp('short', action));

[Trader]

Jan - when I run your code i get a 0x0 cell. There is definitely data in the profits column and 'short' in my action array. Both action and profit are cell arrays, would this make a difference? Do I need cell2mat before doing all of this?

[Trader]

profit: [455x1 double]

action: {455x1 cell}