How can I create a plot with random directions?

Hello,

I am trying to plot someone walking randomly foward, right, left or backwards.

I tried creating a random generator between 1 to 4, where numbers in the interval [1, 4] are assigned to either foward, right, left, of backwards.

E.g. if it generates 1, the plot will go 1 step upwards in positive y-direction.

Here is what I have coded, which does not work so far.

foward = 1;

left = 2;

right = 3;

backward = 4;

for n = 0:50

    randomgenerator = randi([1 4]);

    if randomgenerator == 1

        y = 1; %go foward
        
    elseif randomgenerator == 2

        y = -1; %go left

    elseif randomgenerator == 3

        y = 1; %go right

    elseif randomgenerator == 4

        y = -1; %go backwards

    end
    
end

plot(y);

When I plot it nothing comes up. I also have a problem where I am not sure what value to add to "y" to go foward or backwards, since they are same as right and left.

Answer 1

[Dave B]

It looks to me like left and backwards are kindof the same thing...how about adding x to differentiate them?

foward = 1;
left = 2;
right = 3;
backward = 4;
for n = 0:50
    randomgenerator = randi([1 4]);
    if randomgenerator == 1
        x = 0;
        y = 1; %go foward
    elseif randomgenerator == 2
        x = -1;
        y = 0; %go left
    elseif randomgenerator == 3
        x = 1;
        y = 0; %go right
    elseif randomgenerator == 4
        x = 0;
        y = -1; %go backwards
    end
    
end
plot([0 x],[0 y])
axis([-1 1 -1 1])

Even better, you could use a quiver so you could see the direction:

figure
quiver(0,0,x,y)
axis([-1 1 -1 1])

Or, to be really cool, maybe rethink the whole problem as polar!

figure
direction = randi([0 3])/2*pi;
polarplot([0 direction],[0 1])

[abbyeit]

WOAH! Thank you so much, this is so cool.

I have no idea how I did not think of adding x, that seems completely obvious!

The polar thing looks really cool, I will try it.

Thank you!