format (MATLAB Function Reference)

Control the output display format

MATLAB performs all computations in double precision.The format command described below switches among different display formats.

Description


Command	Result	Example
`format`	Default. Same as `short`.
`format short`	5 digit scaled fixed point	`3.1416`
`format long`	15 digit scaled fixed point	`3.14159265358979`
`format short e`	5 digit floating-point	`3.1416e+00`
`format long e`	15 digit floating-point	`3.141592653589793e+00`
`format short g`	Best of 5 digit fixed or floating	`3.1416`
`format long g`	Best of 15 digit fixed or floating	`3.14159265358979`
`format hex`	Hexadecimal	`400921fb54442d18`
`format bank`	Fixed dollars and cents	`3.14`
`format rat`	Ratio of small integers	`355/113`
`format +`	+,-, blank	`+`
`format compact`	Suppresses excess line feeds.
`format loose`	Add line feeds.

Algorithms

The command format + displays +, -, and blank characters for positive, negative, and zero elements. format hex displays the hexadecimal representation of a binary double-precision number. format rat uses a continued fraction algorithm to approximate floating-point values by ratios of small integers. See rat.m for the complete code.