MATLAB Plot Gallery: Examples with Runnable Code

t = linspace(0, 4*pi, 500);
envelope = exp(-0.3*t);
signal = envelope .* sin(5*t);

h1 = plot(t, signal);
set(h1, 'DisplayName', 'Damped signal', 'LineWidth', 1.5);
hold on;
h2 = plot(t, envelope, '--');
set(h2, 'DisplayName', 'Envelope', 'LineWidth', 1.5, 'Color', [0.85 0.33 0.1]);
h3 = plot(t, -envelope, '--');
set(h3, 'DisplayName', '-Envelope', 'LineWidth', 1.5, 'Color', [0.85 0.33 0.1]);
hold off;

title('Damped Oscillation');
xlabel('Time (s)');
ylabel('Amplitude');
legend();
grid on;

t = 0:0.5:10;
y = 1 - exp(-0.5*t);

h = stairs(t, y);
set(h, 'LineWidth', 2);
title('First-Order Step Response');
xlabel('Time (s)');
ylabel('Output');
grid on;

n = 0:31;
x = sin(2*pi*n/16) .* (0.9 .^ n);

stem(n, x);
title('Sampled Decaying Sinusoid');
xlabel('Sample index n');
ylabel('x[n]');
grid on;

x = 1:8;
y = [2.1 3.4 4.2 5.8 5.5 6.1 7.3 8.0];
neg = [0.3 0.4 0.2 0.5 0.6 0.3 0.4 0.3];
pos = [0.4 0.3 0.3 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.5 0.4];

errorbar(x, y, neg, pos, 'o-', 'LineWidth', 1.5);
title('Tensile Strength vs. Sample');
xlabel('Sample #');
ylabel('Strength (MPa)');
grid on;

years = 2018:2025;
solar   = [5  8  12 18 25 33 42 50];
wind    = [10 14 18 22 28 32 36 40];
hydro   = [30 30 29 28 27 27 26 26];
mix = [solar; wind; hydro]';

area(years, mix);
title('Energy Generation Mix');
xlabel('Year');
ylabel('TWh');
legend('Solar', 'Wind', 'Hydro');
grid on;

reference = 10:10:100;
run_a = [11.8 21.6 31.5 41.9 51.2 61.7 71.5 81.8 91.3 101.0];
run_b = [8.7 18.4 28.8 38.5 48.6 58.9 68.4 78.9 88.7 98.5];

scatter(reference, run_a, 90, [0.15 0.65 1.0], 'filled');
hold on;
scatter(reference, run_b, 90, [1.0 0.45 0.2], 'filled');
plot([10 100], [10 100], '--', 'LineWidth', 1.5);
hold off;
legend('Calibration run A', 'Calibration run B', 'Ideal response');
title('Calibration Repeatability');
xlabel('Reference value');
ylabel('Measured value');
grid on;

categories = {'Q1', 'Q2', 'Q3', 'Q4'};
revenue = [42 51 63 58; 38 45 52 61; 29 34 48 55];

bar(revenue');
title('Quarterly Revenue by Region');
xlabel('Quarter');
ylabel('Revenue ($M)');
legend('North', 'South', 'West');
grid on;

rng(7);
a = 2 + 1.2*randn(1, 5000);
b = 4 + 0.8*randn(1, 5000);

h1 = histogram(a, 'BinEdges', -2:0.25:8, 'Normalization', 'probability');
set(h1, 'DisplayName', 'Process A');
hold on;
h2 = histogram(b, 'BinEdges', -2:0.25:8, 'Normalization', 'probability');
set(h2, 'DisplayName', 'Process B');
hold off;

title('Distribution Comparison');
xlabel('Measurement');
ylabel('Probability');
legend();
grid on;

values = [35 25 20 12 8];
labels = {'Engineering', 'Marketing', 'Operations', 'R&D', 'Admin'};
explode = [1 0 0 0 0];

pie(values, explode);
title('Annual Budget Allocation');
legend(labels);

[X, Y] = meshgrid(linspace(0, 1, 180), linspace(0, 1, 180));
pattern = 0.5 + 0.5*sin(4*pi*X).*cos(3*pi*Y);
color_index = round(1 + 63*pattern);

image(color_index);
colormap('turbo');
colorbar;
title('Indexed Color Field');
xlabel('Column');
ylabel('Row');
axis equal;

[X, Y] = meshgrid(linspace(-3, 3, 220), linspace(-2, 2, 150));
field = exp(-0.8*((X-1).^2 + Y.^2)) - 0.7*exp(-((X+1).^2 + (Y-0.4).^2));

imshow(field, []);
title('Autoscaled Grayscale Field');

[X, Y] = meshgrid(linspace(-pi, pi, 300), linspace(-pi, pi, 300));
Z = sin(3*X) .* cos(2*Y) + cos(X.*Y);

imagesc(Z);
colormap('turbo');
colorbar;
title('Scalar Field Heatmap');
xlabel('Column');
ylabel('Row');
axis equal;

results = [92 88 81 76; 85 91 87 82; 78 84 93 89; 90 86 80 94];
conditions = {'Cold', 'Nominal', 'Hot', 'Vibration'};
components = {'Pump A', 'Pump B', 'Valve A', 'Valve B'};

h = heatmap(conditions, components, results);
h.Title = 'Component Test Score';
h.XLabel = 'Test condition';
h.YLabel = 'Component';
h.Colormap = 'turbo';
h.ColorbarVisible = true;

[X, Y] = meshgrid(linspace(-3, 3, 120), linspace(-3, 3, 120));
Z = 2*exp(-((X-1).^2 + Y.^2)) + 1.5*exp(-((X+1.5).^2 + (Y-1).^2)) - exp(-(X.^2 + (Y+1.5).^2));

contour(X, Y, Z, 20);
colormap('turbo');
colorbar;
title('Thermal Field - Level Sets');
xlabel('x (m)');
ylabel('y (m)');
axis equal;

[X, Y] = meshgrid(linspace(-3, 3, 150), linspace(-3, 3, 150));
Z = sin(X) .* cos(Y) + 0.5*sin(2*X + Y);

contourf(X, Y, Z, 25);
colormap('turbo');
colorbar;
title('Interference Pattern - Filled Contours');
xlabel('x');
ylabel('y');
axis equal;

[X, Y] = meshgrid(linspace(-3, 3, 100), linspace(-3, 3, 100));
Z = sin(X).*cos(Y) + 0.25*cos(2*X + Y);
levels = [-0.9 -0.6 -0.3 0 0.3 0.6 0.9];

contour3(X, Y, Z, levels, 'LineWidth', 2);
title('Potential Field Levels');
xlabel('x');
ylabel('y');
zlabel('Potential');
view(42, 28);
grid on;

[X, Y] = meshgrid(linspace(-3, 3, 60), linspace(-3, 3, 60));
Z = X.^2 - Y.^2;

mesh(X, Y, Z);
colormap('jet');
colorbar;
title('Hyperbolic Paraboloid');
xlabel('x');
ylabel('y');
zlabel('z = x^2 - y^2');
view(40, 30);

[X, Y] = meshgrid(linspace(-3, 3, 80), linspace(-3, 3, 80));
Z = (X.^2 - Y.^2).*exp(-0.18*(X.^2 + Y.^2));

meshc(X, Y, Z);
colormap('turbo');
colorbar;
title('Coupled Response Surface');
xlabel('x');
ylabel('y');
zlabel('Response');
view(40, 28);

[X, Y] = meshgrid(linspace(-4, 4, 200), linspace(-4, 4, 200));
R = sqrt(X.^2 + Y.^2) + 0.01;
Z = sin(3*R) ./ R;

surf(X, Y, Z);
shading interp;
colormap('turbo');
colorbar;
title('Damped Radial Wavefield');
xlabel('x');
ylabel('y');
zlabel('Amplitude');
view(35, 25);

[X, Y] = meshgrid(linspace(-4, 4, 120), linspace(-4, 4, 120));
R = sqrt(X.^2 + Y.^2) + 0.15;
Z = cos(2.5*R).*exp(-0.22*R);

surfc(X, Y, Z);
shading interp;
colormap('turbo');
colorbar;
title('Damped Radial Response');
xlabel('x');
ylabel('y');
zlabel('Amplitude');
view(38, 27);

t = linspace(0, 8*pi, 600);
radius = 1 + 0.12*cos(5*t);
x = radius.*cos(t);
y = radius.*sin(t);
z = linspace(0, 6, 600) + 0.12*sin(3*t);

h = plot3(x, y, z);
set(h, 'LineWidth', 2);
title('Helical Sensor Trajectory');
xlabel('x (m)');
ylabel('y (m)');
zlabel('z (m)');
view(38, 26);
grid on;
axis equal;

rng(11);
n = 2000;
theta = 4*pi*rand(1, n);
r = sqrt(rand(1, n));
x = r .* cos(theta);
y = r .* sin(theta);
z = sin(3*r) ./ (1 + r);

scatter3(x, y, z, 12, z, 'filled');
colormap('turbo');
colorbar;
title('3-D Point Cloud - Altitude Encoded');
xlabel('x');
ylabel('y');
zlabel('z');
view(35, 25);
grid on;

x1 = [0 1.3 0.2];
y1 = [0 0.2 1.1];
z1 = [0.2 0.5 1.2];
x2 = [1.5 2.8 2.6 1.4];
y2 = [0.1 0.1 1.1 1.2];
z2 = [1.0 1.0 1.7 1.7];
x3 = [0.4 1.2 0.8];
y3 = [1.5 1.7 2.6];
z3 = [0.4 1.3 0.8];

fill3(x1, y1, z1, [0.2 0.7 0.95], x2, y2, z2, [0.95 0.45 0.2], x3, y3, z3, [0.4 0.85 0.45]);
title('3-D Polygon Assembly');
xlabel('x');
ylabel('y');
zlabel('z');
view(38, 25);
grid on;

vertices = [-1 -1 0; 1 -1 0; 1 1 0; -1 1 0; 0 0 1.8];
faces = [1 2 5; 2 3 5; 3 4 5; 4 1 5];

patch('Faces', faces, 'Vertices', vertices, 'FaceColor', [0.25 0.65 0.95], 'EdgeColor', [0.9 0.95 1.0], 'FaceAlpha', 0.72);
title('Triangulated Sensor Housing');
xlabel('x');
ylabel('y');
zlabel('z');
view(38, 24);
axis equal;
grid on;

[X, Y] = meshgrid(linspace(-2, 2, 25), linspace(-2, 2, 25));
Z = X .* exp(-X.^2 - Y.^2);
[DX, DY] = gradient(Z, X(1,2)-X(1,1), Y(2,1)-Y(1,1));

contourf(X, Y, Z, 15);
hold on;
quiver(X, Y, DX, DY, 'k', 'LineWidth', 1);
hold off;

colormap('turbo');
colorbar;
title('Gradient Field over Scalar Potential');
xlabel('x');
ylabel('y');

theta = linspace(0, 2*pi, 500);
primary = abs(cos(theta)).^3 + 0.12;
secondary = 0.55*abs(sin(2*theta)).^2 + 0.08;

polarplot(theta, primary, 'b-');
hold on;
polarplot(theta, secondary, 'r--', 'LineWidth', 2);
hold off;

frequency = logspace(0, 5, 400);
cutoff = 750;
gain_db = 20*log10(1 ./ sqrt(1 + (frequency/cutoff).^4));

h = semilogx(frequency, gain_db);
set(h, 'LineWidth', 2);
title('Low-Pass Frequency Response');
xlabel('Frequency (Hz)');
ylabel('Gain (dB)');
grid on;

time = linspace(0, 12, 300);
fast = exp(-0.85*time);
slow = exp(-0.38*time);

h1 = semilogy(time, fast);
set(h1, 'LineWidth', 2, 'DisplayName', 'Fast decay');
hold on;
h2 = semilogy(time, slow, '--');
set(h2, 'LineWidth', 2, 'DisplayName', 'Slow decay');
hold off;
title('Decay Rate Comparison');
xlabel('Time (s)');
ylabel('Normalized response');
legend();
grid on;

problem_size = logspace(1, 6, 300);
measured = 0.018*problem_size.^1.42 .* (1 + 0.035*sin(log(problem_size)));
reference = 0.018*problem_size.^1.42;

h1 = loglog(problem_size, measured);
set(h1, 'LineWidth', 2, 'DisplayName', 'Measured');
hold on;
h2 = loglog(problem_size, reference, '--');
set(h2, 'LineWidth', 1.5, 'DisplayName', 'n^{1.42} reference');
hold off;
title('Scaling Law Comparison');
xlabel('Problem size');
ylabel('Work units');
legend();
grid on;

time = 0:0.25:12;
temperature = 62 + 1.4*time + 5*sin(0.55*time).*exp(-0.08*time);

plot(time, temperature, 'LineWidth', 2);
xline(6, '--r', 'Control change', 'LineWidth', 1.5);
title('Temperature During Test Run');
xlabel('Time (min)');
ylabel('Temperature (C)');
grid on;

time = 0:0.2:10;
current = 7.2 + 0.35*time + 0.9*sin(1.3*time);
limit = 11;

plot(time, current, 'LineWidth', 2);
yline(limit, '--r', 'Operating limit', 'LineWidth', 1.5);
title('Motor Current During Ramp');
xlabel('Time (s)');
ylabel('Current (A)');
grid on;