String concatenation in MATLAB - Practice Problems & Coding Challenges

Challenge - 5 Problems

❓ Predict Output

intermediate

What is the output of this MATLAB code?

Consider the following MATLAB code that concatenates strings using square brackets. What will be printed?

MATLAB

str1 = 'Hello';
str2 = 'World';
result = [str1, ' ', str2];
disp(result);

A HelloWorld

B Error: Invalid string concatenation

C Hello World

D Hello World

💡 Hint

Remember that square brackets concatenate strings and spaces are literal characters.

In MATLAB, using square brackets concatenates strings exactly as written. Adding ' ' inserts a space between the two words.

❓ Predict Output

intermediate

What does this code output when concatenating numeric and string data?

Look at this MATLAB code that tries to concatenate a number and a string. What will it display?

MATLAB

num = 123;
str = ' apples';
result = [num, str];
disp(result);

A Error: Cannot concatenate numeric and character arrays directly.

B 123 apples

C Error: Dimensions of arrays being concatenated are not consistent.

D 123apples

💡 Hint

In MATLAB, numeric and character arrays cannot be concatenated directly using square brackets.

MATLAB requires numeric values to be converted to strings before concatenation. Direct concatenation causes a dimension mismatch error.

🧠 Conceptual

advanced

How to concatenate strings with newline characters in MATLAB?

Which option correctly concatenates two strings with a newline between them so that the output shows on two lines?

A str = ['Hello', '\n', 'World']; disp(str);

B str = ['Hello', newline, 'World']; disp(str);

C str = strcat('Hello', '\n', 'World'); disp(str);

D str = ['Hello', char(10), 'World']; disp(str);

💡 Hint

MATLAB has a built-in function for newline characters.

The 'newline' function returns the platform-specific newline character. Using it inside brackets concatenates strings with a newline.

🔧 Debug

advanced

Identify the error in this string concatenation code

This MATLAB code tries to concatenate strings but causes an error. What is the cause?

MATLAB

str1 = 'Data';
str2 = "Science";
result = [str1, str2];
disp(result);

A Error because single quotes and double quotes create different string types that cannot be concatenated with [].

B Error because missing comma between str1 and str2 inside brackets.

C No error; output is 'DataScience'.

D Error because disp cannot display concatenated strings.

💡 Hint

MATLAB treats single-quoted and double-quoted strings differently.

Single quotes create character arrays, double quotes create string arrays. They cannot be concatenated directly using [].

❓ Predict Output

expert

What is the output of this complex string concatenation with cell arrays?

Given the following MATLAB code, what will be the output displayed?

MATLAB

C = {'Hello', 'World'};
result = [C{1}, ' ', C{2}];
disp(result);

A Hello World

B {'Hello', 'World'}

C Error: Cell contents reference from a non-cell array object.

D HelloWorld

💡 Hint

Use curly braces to extract content from cell arrays before concatenation.

Using C{1} and C{2} extracts the strings from the cell array. Concatenating with a space produces 'Hello World'.