Use for-loops to create a function with the following header (2D cell arrary)

Use for-loops to create a function with the following header:

function [ squaresCell ] = generateSquares ( a, b )

where: a, b are two integers where a < b and squaresCell is a two-dimensional cell array that contains the character arrays ‘x = [x]’ and ‘x squared = [x2]’ in the first and second columns, respectively, for every value a ≤ x ≤ b. Your function should be able to reproduce the following test case:

>> generateSquares (3 ,9)
ans =
7x2 cell array
‘x = 3’ ‘x squared = 9 ’
‘x = 4’ ‘x squared = 16 ’
‘x = 5’ ‘x squared = 25 ’
‘x = 6’ ‘x squared = 36 ’
‘x = 7’ ‘x squared = 49 ’
‘x = 8’ ‘x squared = 64 ’
‘x = 9’ ‘x squared = 81 ’

My answer:

function [ squaresCell ] = generateSquares(a,b)
for x = random(a,b)
    a = {'x = [x]' 'x squared = [(x).^2]'}; 
    a(end+(b-a),:) = {'x = [x+(b-a)','[x+(b-a).^2]'};
end
squaresCell = {'x = [x]' 'x squared = [(x).^2]'};
end

What was my problem? Thanks a lot!!!

[James Tursa]

Hint: Consider using the sprintf function. E.g.,

>> a = 5;
>> c{1,1} = sprintf('The value of x is %d',a)
c = 
    'The value of x is 5'
>> c{1,2} = sprintf('The value of x^2 is %d',a^2)
c = 
    'The value of x is 5'    'The value of x^2 is 25'

[Meowooo]

I haven't learned this in my class yet, but how could I add up rows then? By directly using sprintf?

Answer 1

[Walter Roberson]

According to https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/361260-for-loop-question-switch-loop-question-don-t-know-how-to-incorporate-them-together you have learned to use strings. So use strings.

["abc = " + (1:5).', "pqr = " + (8:12).']

Now you just have to find a way to convert the string array to a cell array of character vectors... perhaps the documentation of string operations will have something you could use.

There is one trick here: you will need to disp() the cell array, not just allow it to be displayed. Notice the difference in displayed output:

>> zzz
zzz =
  5×2 cell array
    {'abc = 1'}    {'pqr = 8' }
    {'abc = 2'}    {'pqr = 9' }
    {'abc = 3'}    {'pqr = 10'}
    {'abc = 4'}    {'pqr = 11'}
    {'abc = 5'}    {'pqr = 12'}
>> disp(zzz)
    'abc = 1'    'pqr = 8' 
    'abc = 2'    'pqr = 9' 
    'abc = 3'    'pqr = 10'
    'abc = 4'    'pqr = 11'
    'abc = 5'    'pqr = 12'