What is the unit of distance in MATLAB

What is the unit of distance between two points such as (1,1) and (40,40) in MATLAB plot.

[Adam]

In what context? How are you measuring the distance? What are (1,1) and (40,40)? Did you set the x and y data of the plot yourself or are they the default values?

[SUBHRADIP MUKHERJEE]

Suppose,

x=[1, 1];

y=[40, 40];

z=sqrt((y(1) - x(1))^2 + ((y(2) - x(2))^2));

plot(x(1),x(2),'sb');hold on; plot(y(1),y(2),'sg');

xlim([0 41]); ylim([0 41]);

Now, z is an euclidean distance.

My question is, what is the unit of z.

[Adam Danz]

Distance units match the units of your x and y axes which you define. If your data are in centimeters, then the distance is in centimeters. If your data are in meters, the distance is in meters, and so on.

[SUBHRADIP MUKHERJEE]

OK, THANK YOU.

Answer 1

[Walter Roberson]

The unit of distance used by MATLAB is the MUD, which stands for Mathworks Universal Distance. The formal symbol for MUD is ? but it is mostly omitted as being understood.

[Adam Danz]

:D

Walter just made me google "Mathworks Universal Distance".

[John D'Errico]

Smile.