Identify a number in a string

Hi all, I would like to know how to identify and extract a number or digit from a string or text, so if I have Ans = ['2.66 meters in the front of the mirror']; I would only like to identify and extract the double, this should be a general thing and not only specific to the 2.66. Please help

Answer 1

[madhan ravi]

 Wanted = str2double(regexp(Ans, '(+|-)?(\d+)?\.?\d*', 'match'))

[Omphemetse Moeng]

Thank you for this, it works.

Answer 2

[Ameer Hamza]

Try sscanf()

str = '2.66 meters in the front of the mirror';
nums = sscanf(str, '%f');

Result

>> nums
nums =
    2.6600

[Omphemetse Moeng]

Thank you, this only works if the number is placed first, so generally should its position in the string change it does not work anymore, I then get 0x0 double. Is there a more general way to this?