Why do I get this error message "Array indices must be positive integers or logical values."

fyi - first time posting.

Why do I get this error message?

Array indices must be positive integers or logical values.

Error in task2testdimforxandy (line 15)

Z = x.^2*y(y-1)*(y+1)

And what would you suggest to fix?

thanks.

clear, clc
x = -1:2/9:1
y = -2:4/9:2
% create grid
for i = 1:length(x)
for j = 1:length(y)
% i is being used to step along the x axis
% j is being used to step along the y axis
% Note the ORDER of i and j when indexing
X(j,i) = x(i) % store x position
Y(j,i) = y(j) % store y position
end
end
% calculate the heights for all points on the grid
Z = x.^2*y(y-1)*(y+1)
surf(X,Y,Z)
xlabel('x')
ylabel('y')
zlabel('z')
title('x^2*y(y-1)*(y+1) using surf')

[the cyclist]

FYI, I edited your question a bit, so that your code appears like code instead of just plain text. I did that by using the CODE section in the toolbar.

Answer 1

[the cyclist]

You have three distinct problems in this one line of code:

Z = x.^2*y(y-1)*(y+1)

One of them is causing the error you are seeing. You'll also need to fix the other two.

1. Where you wrote y(y-1), MATLAB thinks you are calling a function, with argument y-1. Instead, you need y.*(y-1).
2. All of those multiplications should be element-wise rather than matrix multiplications. If you don't know what that means, read this documentation.
3. You need X and Y here, not x and y.

Put it all together, and you need

Z = X.^2.*Y.*(Y-1).*(Y+1);

[Samuel Tate]

If I wanted to create a seperate but identical figure to the one just created, but using meshgrid and dot operator. How would I go about this?

[Stephen23]

"Where you wrote y(y-1), MATLAB thinks you are calling a function..."

The error message tells us that MATLAB is attempting to index into a variable, not call a function.

[the cyclist]

@Samuel:

Stephen is correct here, and it's worth thinking about the difference there. I mainly intended to explain that the y(y-1) syntax, which is usual for multiplication in mathematics, means something different in MATLAB. But I got the "something different" wrong. :-)

Also, is this a homework assignment? It's starting to sound like a homework assignment.

Answer 2

[James Tursa]

You forgot to multiply between the y and (y-1)

Z = x(:).^2.*y.*(y-1).*(y+1);

Also, make sure to use element-wise operators (with the dot). And to get a matrix result for Z, make one of x or y a column vector (I did that by using the x(:) syntax).

The syntax you were using, namely y(y-1), is interpreted by MATLAB as meaning you are trying to index into the y vector using y-1 as the element index ... hence the error message.

[Samuel Tate]

Thank you.