How to Use linspace in MATLAB: Syntax and Examples

In MATLAB, use linspace(start, end, n) to create a vector of n linearly spaced points between start and end. This function is useful for generating evenly spaced values over an interval.

Syntax

The basic syntax of linspace is:

• linspace(start, end): Creates 100 points between start and end by default.
• linspace(start, end, n): Creates n points between start and end.

Here, start is the first value, end is the last value, and n is the number of points you want.

matlab

y = linspace(1, 10, 5)

Output

y =
    1.0000    3.2500    5.5000    7.7500   10.0000

Example

This example creates 7 points evenly spaced between 0 and 3. It shows how linspace generates values including the start and end points.

matlab

x = linspace(0, 3, 7)
disp(x)

Output

x =
         0    0.5000    1.0000    1.5000    2.0000    2.5000    3.0000

Common Pitfalls

Common mistakes include:

• Forgetting to specify the number of points, which defaults to 100 and may be more than needed.
• Using linspace when : operator is better for integer steps.
• Expecting linspace to exclude the end value; it always includes it.

Example of a wrong and right way:

matlab

% Wrong: expecting 5 points but only 3 are created
x_wrong = linspace(1, 5, 3)
% Right: specify correct number of points
x_right = linspace(1, 5, 5)

Output

x_wrong =
     1     3     5
x_right =
     1     2     3     4     5

Quick Reference

Usage	Description
linspace(a, b)	100 points between a and b (default)
linspace(a, b, n)	n points between a and b
Includes start and end	Always includes both a and b
Use for floats	Best for non-integer evenly spaced values
Not for step size	Does not specify step size, only number of points

Key Takeaways

Use linspace(start, end, n) to create n evenly spaced points between start and end.

linspace always includes the start and end values in the output vector.

If you omit n, linspace defaults to 100 points.

For integer steps, the colon operator (start:step:end) may be simpler.

Avoid assuming linspace controls step size; it controls number of points.