function input arguments error

not sure how to solve this issue with function arguments,
I'm trying to do this to figure out how to return a vector y that contains both solutions: a logical variable isreal indicating whether the results were real (isreal=1) or imaginary (isreal=0). not sure if it would be the right approach.
Any help will be appreciated, thank you
myquad
Not enough input arguments.
Error in myquad (line 3)
D = b^2 - 4*a*c;
^
function [y, isreal] = myquad(a, b, c)
% Calculate the discriminant
D = b^2 - 4*a*c;
% Calculate the two solutions using the quadratic formula
y(1) = (-b + sqrt(D)) / (2*a);
y(2) = (-b - sqrt(D)) / (2*a);
% Check if the solutions are real
isreal = all(isreal(y));
% If the discriminant is negative, the solutions are complex
if D < 0
y = [NaN, NaN]; % Return NaN for complex solutions
isreal = 0; % Set isreal to false
end
end
%In the command window I'm trying to call the function like this;
y = myquad(1, -2, 1);
disp(y); % Output: [1, 1]
disp(isreal); % Output: 1

1 Comment

VBBV
VBBV on 29 Aug 2025
Edited: VBBV on 29 Aug 2025
Please check the version of Matlab you are using . In some older version, the function defintions are not allowed before actually calling the function in the script file.

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 Accepted Answer

Torsten
Torsten on 29 Aug 2025
Edited: Torsten on 29 Aug 2025
Don't use isreal as a variable name: isreal is a MATLAB function that you overwrite this way.
[y, is_real] = myquad(1, -2, 1);
disp(y); % Output: [1, 1]
1 1
disp(is_real); % Output: 1
1
function [y, is_real] = myquad(a, b, c)
D = b^2 - 4*a*c;
if D >=0
is_real = true;
y = [(-b + sqrt(D)) / (2*a),(-b - sqrt(D)) / (2*a)];
else
is_real = false;
y = [NaN, NaN];
end
end

4 Comments

Thank you, still getting the same error, sorry, not so good at matlab, can you show how to call the function?
Matt J
Matt J on 29 Aug 2025
Edited: Matt J on 29 Aug 2025
@Cesar Cardenas Torsten and I have both run our code for you so you can see how the function is called and that they produce the proper output. Please run your code for us online, so that we can all see it in action.
function [y, is_real] = myquad(a, b, c)
D = b^2 - 4*a*c;
if D >=0
is_real = true;
y = [(-b + sqrt(D)) / (2*a),(-b - sqrt(D)) / (2*a)];
else
is_real = false;
y = [NaN, NaN];
end
end
[y, is_real] = myquad(1, -2, 1);
disp(y); % Output: [1, 1]
disp(is_real); % Output: 1
I found my mistake, it works now, thank you

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More Answers (1)

Matt J
Matt J on 29 Aug 2025
Edited: Matt J on 29 Aug 2025
Your code uses 'isreal' as both the name of a function and a variable. You can resolve the conflict by renaming the output, e.g.,
[y,isReal] = myquad(1, -2, 1)
y = 1×2
1 1
<mw-icon class=""></mw-icon>
<mw-icon class=""></mw-icon>
isReal = logical
1
function [y, isReal] = myquad(a, b, c)
% Calculate the discriminant
D = sqrt(b^2 - 4*a*c);
isReal=isreal(D);
if ~isReal, y=nan(1,2); return; end
% Calculate the two solutions using the quadratic formula
y = (-b + [-1,1]*D) / (2*a);
end

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Asked:

on 29 Aug 2025

Edited:

on 29 Aug 2025

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