MATLAB Quiz Blitz

Jitin Beri
/
MATLAB Quiz Blitz
on 2 Nov 2026
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game.m
function g=game
%game MATLAB Quiz Blitz — learn MATLAB one tap at a time.
%   A question appears with three answer cards. A highlight cycles through
%   the cards; tap SPACE / click when it's on the right answer. Every answer
%   shows a short MATLAB tip. 3 lives, streak bonus, faster answers score
%   more, and the highlight speeds up as you go.
g.init=@ini;g.update=@upd;g.render=@ren;
end

function s=ini(a)
a.YDir='reverse';a.Color=[.07 .09 .15];
P={'HitTest','off','PickableParts','none'};
T=[{'Interpreter','none','HorizontalAlignment','center','Color','w'} P];
N={'EdgeColor','none',P{:}};F='FontSize';Z='Position';V='Curvature';
% background: navy-to-purple gradient + faint contour of MATLAB's peaks
patch(a,'XData',[0 800 800 0],'YData',[0 0 600 600],'FaceVertexCData',repelem([.04 .06 .16;.2 .07 .27],2,1),'FaceColor','interp',N{:});
% MATLAB L-shaped membrane (the logo), projected to 2-D, purple-to-orange
[X,Y]=meshgrid(-1:.05:1);M=membrane(1,20);
a.Colormap=[.2 .08 .32]+(0:.02:1)'*[.7 .36 -.15];
patch(a,surf2patch(410+160*(X-Y),480-60*(X+Y)-405*M,0*M,M),'FaceColor','interp','FaceAlpha',.4,N{:});
% code snippets drifting upward
c={'x = 1:10;','A.*B','@(x) x.^2','end','A'''};
s.fx=mod((1:5)*137,700)+50;s.fy=mod((1:5)*97,640);s.cl=0;
for i=1:5,s.hc(i)=text(a,0,0,c{i},'FontName','FixedWidth',F,10+4*mod(i,3),T{:},'Color',[.32 .3 .58]);end
% header bar
rectangle(a,Z,[0 0 800 62],'FaceColor',[.03 .03 .09],N{:});
line(a,[0 800],[62 62],'Color',[.89 .42 .17],'LineWidth',2,P{:});
% {question, correct answer, wrong, wrong, tip}
s.Q={
'Which returns an array''s dimensions?','size(A)','dim(A)','count(A)','size(A) gives each dimension''s length; numel(A) counts elements.'
'MATLAB array indexing starts at...','1','0','-1','A(1) is the first element and A(end) is the last.'
'Which operator multiplies element-wise?','.*','*','x','* is matrix multiply; .* is element by element.'
'A semicolon at the end of a line...','hides the output','ends the program','starts a comment','Without ; MATLAB prints the result.'
'Which symbol starts a comment?','%','//','#','% comments one line; %{ and %} on their own lines wrap a block.'
'zeros(2,3) creates...','a 2x3 matrix of 0s','a 3x2 matrix of 0s','the vector [2 3]','Also try ones, eye, and rand the same way.'
'Which makes the vector 1,2,...,10?','1:10','range(10)','[1..10]','start:step:stop also works, e.g. 0:0.5:2.'
'How do you transpose matrix A?','A''','A^T','trans(A)','A'' swaps rows/columns and conjugates complex values; A.'' doesn''t.'
'Which draws a line plot of y vs x?','plot(x,y)','draw(x,y)','line2(y,x)','Add labels with xlabel, ylabel, and title.'
'Which is the not-equal operator?','~=','!=','<>','MATLAB uses ~ for NOT: ~=, ~x.'
'Which symbol creates a function handle?','@','&','$','f = @(x) x.^2; then f(3) returns 9.'
'Which is the short-circuit AND operator?','&&','&','and!','Use && for scalars; & works element-wise.'
'Which loop runs over 1 to n?','for k = 1:n','loop k in n','for (k<n)','Close every for, if, and while block with end.'
'"hello" in double quotes is a...','string','char array','cell','"hi" is a string; ''hi'' is a char array.'
'Which tests if an array is empty?','isempty(A)','empty(A)','isnull(A)','Also: isnumeric, ischar, isfield.'
'A=[1 2 3]; A(2)=[] leaves A as...','[1 3]','[1 0 3]','an error','Assigning [] deletes elements.'
'Which shows help for a function?','help plot','man plot','plot --help','doc plot opens the documentation page.'
'5 evenly spaced points from 0 to 1?','linspace(0,1,5)','range(0,1,5)','space(0,1,5)','linspace(a,b,n) includes both endpoints.'
'Which gets the contents of cell 2 of C?','C{2}','C(2)','C<2>','C(2) is a 1x1 cell; C{2} is its contents.'
'Which adds a field to struct s?','s.name = 5','s->name = 5','s[name] = 5','Structs hold named fields; s.name reads one.'
'mean([1 2 3]) returns...','2','6','3','Compare: sum([1 2 3]) is 6.'
'Which gives the largest value?','max(v)','top(v)','big(v)','min(v) gives the smallest.'
'v=[4 5 6]; v(end) is...','6','4','3','end means the last index.'
'Which keyword exits a loop early?','break','leave','skip','continue skips to the next iteration.'
'Which loop runs while a condition is true?','while','repeat','until','for runs a fixed number of times.'
};
s.N=size(s.Q,1);
B={'FontWeight','bold'};
text(a,400,31,'MATLAB QUIZ BLITZ',F,26,B{:},T{:},'Color',[.89 .42 .17]);
% question panel
s.hp=rectangle(a,Z,[60 100 680 60],V,.4,'FaceColor',[.09 .1 .24],'EdgeColor',[.35 .4 .7],'LineWidth',1.5,P{:});
s.hq=text(a,400,130,'',F,20,B{:},T{:});
% pulsing glow behind the highlighted card
% (superellipse = rounded-rectangle outline)
t=linspace(0,2*pi,80);u=cos(t);v=sin(t);
s.gx=272*sign(u).*abs(u).^.2;s.gy=46*sign(v).*abs(v).^.2;
s.hw=patch(a,s.gx,s.gy,'w','FaceAlpha',.3,N{:});
for k=1:3
    y=150+k*80;
    s.hd(k)=rectangle(a,Z,[156 y-26 500 64],V,.3,'FaceColor',[.02 .02 .06],N{:});
    s.hb(k)=rectangle(a,Z,[150 y-32 500 64],V,.3,'LineWidth',3,P{:});
    s.hk(k)=rectangle(a,Z,[163 y-19 38 38],V,1,N{:});
    s.hn(k)=text(a,182,y,char(64+k),F,18,B{:},T{:});
    s.ho(k)=text(a,420,y,'',F,22,'FontName','FixedWidth',T{:});
end
% answer timer bar (rounded pill)
s.hg=rectangle(a,Z,[150 455 500 12],V,1,'FaceColor',[.15 .15 .3],N{:});
s.ht=rectangle(a,Z,[150 455 500 12],V,1,N{:});
s.hs=text(a,20,80,'',F,15,T{:},'HorizontalAlignment','left');
s.hl=text(a,780,80,'',F,22,T{:},'HorizontalAlignment','right','Color',[1 .35 .4]);
% tip panel and title/game-over panel
s.hx=rectangle(a,Z,[70 500 660 76],V,.3,'FaceColor',[.07 .08 .2],'LineWidth',2,P{:});
s.hz=text(a,400,482,'',F,17,B{:},T{:},'Color',[.6 .8 1]);
s.hf=text(a,400,538,'',F,15,T{:});
s.hy=rectangle(a,Z,[130 190 540 260],V,.15,'FaceColor',[.06 .07 .19],'EdgeColor',[.89 .42 .17],'LineWidth',2.5,P{:});
s.hm=text(a,400,320,'',F,20,T{:});
s.qi=0;s=rst(s);s.m=0;
end

function s=rst(s)
s.sc=0;s.lv=3;s.st=0;s.bs=0;s.n=0;s.r=0;s.ok=0;s.pk=0;
s=nq(s);
end

function s=nq(s)
% next question (step 7 is coprime to 25, so all are visited), shuffle card order;
% s.p = time per card, timer = 4 passes over the 3 cards
s.qi=mod(s.qi+6,s.N)+1;s.ord=circshift(1:3,mod(s.qi*2,3));
s.c=1;s.ct=0;s.p=max(1,2-.03*s.n);s.tl=12*s.p;s.t=s.tl;s.m=1;s.w=0;
end

function s=upd(s,dt,p)
% modes: 0 title, 1 asking, 2 tip/feedback, 3 game over
s.w=s.w+dt;s.t=s.t-dt;s.cl=s.cl+dt;s.fy=mod(s.fy-18*dt,550);
if ~mod(s.m,3)
    if p&&(s.m==0||s.w>.6),s=rst(s);end
elseif s.m==1
    s.ct=s.ct+dt;
    if s.ct>=s.p,s.ct=s.ct-s.p;s.c=mod(s.c,3)+1;end
    if p||s.t<=0
        s.pk=s.c*p;s.ok=p&&s.ord(s.c)==1;s.n=s.n+1;
        if s.ok
            s.st=s.st+1;s.bs=max(s.bs,s.st);s.r=s.r+1;s.gn=10*s.st+round(s.t);s.sc=s.sc+s.gn;
        else
            s.st=0;s.lv=s.lv-1;
        end
        s.m=2;s.w=0;
    end
elseif (p&&s.w>.4)||s.w>5
    if s.lv<1,s.m=3;s.w=0;else,s=nq(s);end
end
end

function ren(~,s)
q=s.Q(s.qi,:);A=mod(s.m,3)>0;
for i=1:5,s.hc(i).Position=[s.fx(i) s.fy(i)+40 0];end
set([s.hp s.hq s.hd s.hb s.hk s.hn s.ho],'Visible',A);set([s.hg s.ht],'Visible',s.m==1);
s.hq.String=q{1};
for k=1:3
    o=s.ord(k);s.ho(k).String=q{o+1};
    f=[.13 .15 .3];e=[.3 .35 .6];
    if s.m==1&&k==s.c,f=[.89 .42 .17];e=[1 .75 .45];end
    if s.m==2&&o==1,f=[.18 .6 .32];e=[.5 1 .6];
    elseif s.m==2&&k==s.pk,f=[.7 .2 .2];e=[1 .45 .45];end
    set(s.hb(k),'FaceColor',f,'EdgeColor',e);
    s.hk(k).FaceColor=.25+.75*e;s.hn(k).Color=f*.5;
end
% glow follows the highlight (orange) or the right answer (green)
k=s.c;g=[1 .55 .2];
if s.m==2,k=find(s.ord==1);g=[.3 1 .45];end
y=150+k*80;
set(s.hw,'XData',400+s.gx,'YData',y+s.gy,'FaceColor',g, ...
    'FaceAlpha',.22+.12*sin(s.cl*6),'Visible',A);
% answer timer bar (only while asking)
f=s.t/s.tl;
set(s.ht,'Position',[150 455 max(500*f,.01) 12],'FaceColor',[.89 .42 .17]*(f>.3)+[.9 .2 .2]*(f<=.3));
% question number in this lap (n already counts the current one on the tip screen)
s.hs.String="Score: "+s.sc+"  Streak: "+s.st+"  Correct: "+s.r+"/"+s.n+"  Question "+(mod(s.n-(s.m>1),s.N)+1)+"/"+s.N;
s.hl.String=repmat('♥',1,s.lv);
L=newline;r=[1 .6 .6];m="Not quite. Answer: "+q{2};
if s.ok,r=[.5 1 .6];m="Correct! +"+s.gn;elseif ~s.pk,m="Time's up! Answer: "+q{2};end
set(s.hf,'String',m+L+q{5},'Color',r);
% separate next-question countdown on its own line (where the timer bar sits)
n=ceil(5-s.w);k=["Results","Next question"];
s.hz.String=k(1+(s.lv>0))+" in "+n+" second"+repmat('s',1,n~=1);
if s.m<2,s.hz.String="SPACE or click picks the orange card";end
set([s.hf s.hx],'Visible',s.m==2);s.hz.Visible=A;s.hx.EdgeColor=s.hf.Color;
if s.m==0
    s.hm.String="Learn MATLAB one tap at a time!"+L+ ...
        "SPACE / click picks the orange card"+L+ ...
        "SPACE / click to start";
else
    s.hm.String="GAME OVER"+L+"Score: "+s.sc+L+"Best streak: "+s.bs+L+ ...
        "You got "+s.r+" of "+s.n+" right"+L+"Tap to replay";
end
set([s.hy s.hm],'Visible',~A);
end
Play Game
Preview

Play Game opens this in MATLAB Drive. Click Run this app there to play.