How to multiply data from cells?

Hello,

Consider I have a cell array of size (1x20). I want to multiply all the elements of the cell and display it as a single output. For eg:

   X= 1 2 7 7 8 9 6 7 8 9 2 1 3 1 4 6 7 4 5 3

I want my output to be stored in a new variable say 'a'

   a=1,290,482,565,120.

How do i do it? Please help. Thanks in advance.

[Guillaume]

The proper syntax for declaring a cell array is:

 X = {1 2 7 7 8 9 6 7 8 9 2 1 3 1 4 6 7 4 5 3};

If you don't use the right syntax in your examples, then we're left wondering what you really mean.

So the first question is: why are you using a cell array? In this particular example, a plain matrix would be sufficient.

Second question, the product of a bunch of numbers is just one single number, so what are the multiple values in your second cell array (or is a matrix?)?

edit: I've just worked out that your a is a scalar and you've just separated the thousands by a comma. It is just so much clearer, if you use proper matlab syntax throughout your question.

Answer 1

[Guillaume]

There is no point in having a cell array of scalar double, a matrix is more efficient.

Your cell array can be converted into a matrix / vector with cell2mat. To calculate the product of the elements of a vector, you use prod. So:

X= {1 2 7 7 8 9 6 7 8 9 2 1 3 1 4 6 7 4 5 3};
a = prod(cell2mat(X))

[Giorgi]

Well you are right my solution was wrong :)