Help understanding the error on 2-d ballistic trajector

I am receiving the following error when attempting to plot the trajectory of a 1 kg mass starting at the same initial velocity from multiple angles

Attempted to access x2(103); index out of bounds because numel(x2)=1.

Error in assignment3 (line 137) x2(i) = x2(i-1) + vx2(i-1)*delta_t2;

The program will plot if only one loop is going but if I include the loop for other angles the error occurs. I need help understanding the problem. The code is posted below.

% Clear clear all

% Prompt the user v_int = input('Provide a value for intial veloctiy in meters per second: ');

% Define Variables

 m = 1; 
 B = 4*10^(-5); 
 g = 9.8;

% Theta in degrees theta1 = 15; theta2 = 30; theta3 = 45; theta4 = 60; theta5 = 75;

% Convert to radians rad1 = 15*((2*pi)/360); rad2 = 30*((2*pi)/360); rad3 = 45*((2*pi)/360); rad4 = 60*((2*pi)/360); rad5 = 75*((2*pi)/360);

% Initialize variables

i = 1; time(1) = 0;

x1(1) = 0; y1(1) = 0; vx1(1) = cos(rad1)*v_int; vy1(1) = sin(rad1)*v_int; time_final1 = 2*((sin(rad1)*v_int)/(g)); delta_t1 = time_final1 / 100;

x2(1) = 0; y2(1) = 0; vx2(1) = cos(rad2)*v_int; vy2(1) = sin(rad2)*v_int; time_final2 = 2*((sin(rad2)*v_int)/(g)); delta_t2 = time_final2 / 100;

x3(1) = 0; y3(1) = 0; vx3(1) = cos(rad3)*v_int; vy3(1) = sin(rad3)*v_int; time_final3 = 2*((sin(rad3)*v_int)/(g)); delta_t3 = time_final3 / 100;

x4(1) = 0; y4(1) = 0; x4(1) = cos(rad4)*v_int; vy4(1) = sin(rad4)*v_int; time_final4 = 2*((sin(rad4)*v_int)/(g)); delta_t4 = time_final4 / 100;

x5(1) = 0; y5(1) = 0; vx5(1) = cos(rad5)*v_int; vy5(1) = sin(rad5)*v_int; time_final5 = 2*((sin(rad5)*v_int)/(g)); delta_t5 = time_final5 / 100;

% Calculate excluding drag % while y1 >= 0 i = i + 1; time(i) = time(i-1) + delta_t1; B = 0; x1(i) = x1(i-1) + vx1(i-1)*delta_t1; vx1(i) = vx1(i-1) - ((B*v_int*vx1(i-1))/(m))*delta_t1; y1(i) = y1(i-1) + vy1(i-1)*delta_t1; vy1(i) = vy1(i-1) - g*delta_t1 - ((B*v_int*vy1(i-1))/(m))*delta_t1; v(i) = SQRT(vx1(i)*vx1(i) + vy1(i)*vy1(i)); end

while y2 >= 0 i = i + 1; time(i) = time(i-1) + delta_t2; B = 0; x2(i) = x2(i-1) + vx2(i-1)*delta_t2; vx2(i) = vx2(i-1) - ((B*v_int*vx2(i-1))/(m))*delta_t2; y2(i) = y2(i-1) + vy2(i-1)*delta_t2; vy2(i) = vy2(i-1) - g*delta_t2 - ((B*v_int*vy2(i-1))/(m))*delta_t2; v(i) = SQRT(vx2(i)*vx2(i) + vy2(i)*vy2(i)); end

while y3 >= 0 i = i + 1; time(i) = time(i-1) + delta_t3; B = 0; x3(i) = x3(i-1) + vx3(i-1)*delta_t3; vx3(i) = vx3(i-1) - ((B*v_int*vx3(i-1))/(m))*delta_t3; y3(i) = y3(i-1) + vy3(i-1)*delta_t3; vy3(i) = vy3(i-1) - g*delta_t3 - ((B*v_int*vy3(i-1))/(m))*delta_t3; v(i) = SQRT(vx3(i)*vx3(i) + vy3(i)*vy3(i)); end

while y4 >= 0 i = i + 1; time(i) = time(i-1) + delta_t4; B = 0; x4(i) = x4(i-1) + vx4(i-1)*delta_t4; vx4(i) = vx4(i-1) - ((B*v_int*vx4(i-1))/(m))*delta_t4; y4(i) = y4(i-1) + vy4(i-1)*delta_t4; vy4(i) = vy4(i-1) - g*delta_t4 - ((B*v_int*vy4(i-1))/(m))*delta_t4; v(i) = SQRT(vx4(i)*vx4(i) + vy4(i)*vy4(i)); end

while y5 >= 0 i = i + 1; time(i) = time(i-1) + delta_t5; B = 0; x5(i) = x5(i-1) + vx5(i-1)*delta_t5; vx5(i) = vx5(i-1) - ((B*v_int*vx5(i-1))/(m))*delta_t5; y5(i) = y5(i-1) + vy5(i-1)*delta_t5; vy5(i) = vy5(i-1) - g*delta_t5 - ((B*v_int*vy5(i-1))/(m))*delta_t5; v(i) = SQRT(vx5(i)*vx5(i) + vy5(i)*vy5(i)); end

plot(x1, y1, x2, y2, x3, y3, x4, y4, x5, y5) axis('auto') title('Ballistic Trajectories Neglecting Drag at v = ') xlabel('x-distance (meters)') ylabel('y-distance (meters)') legend('theta = 15 degrees','theta = 30 degrees','theta = 45 degrees','theta = 60 degrees','theta = 75')

[Image Analyst]

Read this: http://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/13205-tutorial-how-to-format-your-question-with-markup Then fix your post.

Because you have SQRT in there and that is not a MATLAB function (though sqrt is), and consequently your program does not run, I feel like you didn't give us your actual code. Please attach your actual file with the paper clip icon so people can run it.

Answer 1

[Erik S.]

Yes, write

i=1;

in between loops

[J.A. Smith]

Thanks a million!

[Erik S.]

Sure thing! Click the button to choose the question is answered

Answer 2

[Erik S.]

Hi You need to reset your counter i in between the loops. When the fist while loop finish (y2>=0 condition is met) the value of i is 102. When you enter the second while you increment one more time and get i 103, which causes you error.

Reset i between the loops or use different variables for loop counting.

[J.A. Smith]

Ahh that makes sense! Thank you. How do you reset i for each loop though? Would you include i=1 within each loop?

Answer 3

[Image Analyst]

You had a bunch of errors in there. I fixed them, so see fixed m-file below the image.