format (MATLAB Function Reference)

Control the output display format

Syntax

format
format type

Description

MATLAB performs all computations in double precision.The format command described below changes the display format.


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`	Adds 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.