zeros (MATLAB Function Reference)

Create an array of all zeros

B = zeros(n)
B = zeros(m,n)
B = zeros([m n])
B = zeros(d1,d2,d3...)
B = zeros([d1 d2 d3...])
B = zeros(size(A))

Description

B = zeros(n)

returns an n-by-n matrix of zeros. An error message appears if n is not a scalar.

B = zeros(m,n) or B = zeros([m n])

returns an m-by-n matrix of zeros.

B = zeros(d1,d2,d3...) or B = zeros([d1 d2 d3...])

returns an array of zeros with dimensions d1-by-d2-by-d3-by-... .

B = zeros(size(A))

returns an array the same size as A consisting of all zeros.

Remarks

The MATLAB language does not have a dimension statement--MATLAB automatically allocates storage for matrices. Nevertheless, most MATLAB programs execute faster if the zeros function is used to set aside storage for a matrix whose elements are to be generated one at a time, or a row or column at a time.

Examples

With n = 1000, the for loop

 for i = 1:n, x(i) = i; end

takes about 1.2 seconds to execute on a Sun SPARC-1. If the loop is preceded by the statement x = zeros(1,n); the computations require less than 0.2 seconds.