comparing a number against a range of numbers in IF-ELSE

stockposition = [1  1  5  2  3;
1  3  5  2  4;
3  1  4  2  5];

for i=2:3
    for j=1:2
        if stockposition(i,j) ~= stockposition(i-1,1:2)
            alpha = 1
        else
            alpha = 0
        end
    end
end

works correctly but if I change the not equal to equal as shown below

for i=2:3
    for j=1:2
        if stockposition(i,j) == stockposition(i-1,1:2)
            alpha = 1
        else
            alpha = 0
        end
    end
end

It does not work. It gives me alpha = 0 always. Anyone knows why?

Answer 1

[Image Analyst]

When you do this:

stockposition(i,j) ~= stockposition(i-1,1:2)

you have a single number on the left, and a pair of numbers on the right. The right side is a 1 by 2 array [stockposition(i-1,1), stockposition(i-1,2)]. What are you thinking? How do you expect this comparison to go? Can you clue me in on your thought process?