How do I create a function that accepts a 3 element vector as input, but returns scalar values?

I need to create a function that sorts the order of a vector elements and returns it as scalar values.

[James Tursa]

Please give an example of an input vector and desired output.

[AP720]

[1 2 3] as input (how do you command this input?) and scalar values 1 2 3 as output (how do you distinguish that from the original vector?)

[AP720]

I feel like I need to be using nargin or varargin but am unsure how to implement them, and the ways I've tried haven't worked.

Answer 1

[James Tursa]

If I understand you correctly, here is an outline of such a function (in a file called sort3.m):

% Filename sort3.m
function [a,b,c] = sort3(x)
% your code for sorting goes here
a = whatever
b = whatever
c = whatever
end

You need to fill in the actual sorting code.

[AP720]

Thank-you. I edited my code to the following but it's still not working:

function [x,y,z] = sort3(t)

if x<=y && y<=z
    t = [x y z];
elseif x>=y && y>=z
        t = [z y x];
elseif x<=y && y>=z && x<=z
            t = [x z y];
elseif y>=z && x<=y
                t = [z x y];
elseif y<=x && x<=z
                    t= [y x z];
elseif y<=x && z<=x
                        t = [y z x];
end
end

[James Tursa]

Your code is written backwards. The variable t is the input, so you need to work with t(1), t(2), and t(3). Your code should be comparing these values and then assigning the output to x, y, and z, not the other way around. E.g.,

if t(1) <= t(2) && t(2) <= t(3)
    x = t(1);
    y = t(2);
    z = t(3);

etc.

[AP720]

I had a feeling I was making a silly mistake...it worked, thank-you!