Symbolic variables and equations. Beginner

I've just started using matlab and am having a problem understanding what this question wants and the commands i need to use to solve it.

Create the symbolic variables

a b c d x

and use them to create the following symbolic expressions:

se1 = x^3 -3*x^2 +x

se2 = sin(x) + tan(x)

se3 =(2*x^2 - 3*x  - 2)/(x^2 - 5*x)

se4 = (x^2 -9)/(x+3)

The question wants me to write the commands I used in MATLAB with comments.

So far all I can think to do is

syms a b c d x

and maybe something with the solve function. although i have no idea what to do or where to start.

Thanks for any help.

Answer 1

[William]

clc
clear

syms a b c d x

se1 = x^3 -3*x^2 +x

se2 = sin(x) + tan(x)

se3 =(2*x^2 - 3*x - 2)/(x^2 - 5*x)

Type

help syms

se4 = (x^2 -9)/(x+3)

if you want to plot them type:

help ezplot

[Jessica]

i understand defining the variable with syms a b c d x

i also understand typing se1, se2, se3, and se4 into matlab

Its from there that i don't know what to do. it wants me to create the symbolic expressions using the symbolic variables. I have no idea how to do that.

Its not asking for a graph. Just the matlab commands.

[Walter Roberson]

se1 = x^3 -3*x^2 +x

and so on _is_ the method you use to create a symbolic expression using the symbolic variables.

The assignment doesn't seem to have much point to it ;-)