count function, whwn i enter numbers and its wrong the count isnt going read the commnets i made

choice= input('Enter a vector sufficent for an odd-order polynomial:  '); % inputs an even or odd vector [1]- odd [1 2]-even
a=length(choice);
Count = 1;
%b = mod(a,2);
while Count < 5 && mod(a,2)==0
   choice= input('Enter a vector sufficent for an odd-order polynomial:  ');
   Count = Count+1; % this part isnt working for some reason  
   if Count > 5 
        warning('Odd number of coefficients entered. Last element removed');
          choice(:,end)=[];
      
      
   end
end




if mod(a,2)~=0
         fprintf('Please enter a valid vector.\n');
end

Answer 1

[Walter Roberson]

Suppose Count has reached 3 and mod(a, 2)==0. The loop will continue. choice will be input. Count will be incremented to 4. 4 is not greater than 5 so the last element of choice is not removed.

We return to the loop test. Count is 4 and that is less than 5. a has not changed so mod(a, 2) is still 0. So you will prompt for choice again, and then you will increment Count from 4 to 5. 5 is not greater than 5 so the last element of choice is not removed. Notice that the content of choice from the last iteration was ignored.

We return to the loop test. Count is 5 which is not < 5 so the loop terminates.

If you think about this, the test Count>5 can not be satisfied, so there is no point in having that code.

What went wrong? This:

You failed to update "a" after you changed the content of choice

[Alex Doan]

can you like highlight the part that needs to be fixed im not understanding lol

[Walter Roberson]

My last paragraph already highlights what needs to be changed.

You initialize a when you read in choice the first time. After that you never change a. That is the mistake. You need to change a every time you change choice.