creating loop with two variables

For example;

a=0:2:10;
b=0:2:6;
% number of elements of a is always bigger than b 
I need to create for loop as below;

result(1)=a(1)-b(1);
result(2)=a(2)-b(2);
result(3)=a(3)-b(3);
result(4)=a(4)-b(4);
result(5)=a(5)-b(4);
result(6)=a(6)-b(4);

Since a and b variables' number isn't constant for each problem. How can I create this loop for working properly with arbitrary numbers of a and b?

Answer 1

[Birdman]

for i=1:max(numel(a),numel(b))
if(i>=min(numel(a),numel(b)))
result(i)=a(i)-b(min(numel(a),numel(b)));
else
result(i)=a(i)-b(i);
end
end

[Stephen23]

Seven lines of code... see my answer for a simpler solution.

[Birdman]

Your answer is of course simpler but he mentioned to do it with a for loop, therefore I wrote this. Otherwise of course I would have written something like you did.

[KL]

You could call numel, outside the loop and store its output in a variable (after finding min and max) and only use this variable inside the loop.

Now, you're calling min and numel so many times (sometimes even twice within the same iteration).

Answer 2

[Stephen23]

Why waste time writing an ugly loop? Here is a simpler solution in just two lines:

>> a = 0:2:10;
>> b = 0:2:6;
>> v = 1:max(numel(a),numel(b));
>> a(min(v,end))-b(min(end,v))
ans =
   0   0   0   0   2   4

Answer 3

[Jan]

% number of elements of a is always bigger than b

This was not considered in the other suggestions. Another solution:

a  = 0:2:10;
b  = 0:2:6;

result = a - b(min(1:numel(a), numel(b)))