How to Insert Degree Symbol in MATLAB?

You can insert the degree symbol (°) in MATLAB primarily by using its Unicode value with the char function.

Method 1: Using the Unicode Value

The most reliable way to include special characters like the degree symbol is by referencing their Unicode representation. MATLAB's char function allows you to convert numerical values corresponding to character codes into the actual characters.

According to the references, you can create any character by finding its Unicode value and converting that number into a character using the “char” function. For example, the number 176 is the Unicode value that denotes the degree symbol.

To get the degree symbol, simply use:

degree_symbol = char(176);

This command assigns the degree symbol character to the variable degree_symbol.

Where to Use the Degree Symbol

Once you have the degree symbol character, you can concatenate it with other strings for use in various MATLAB text elements, such as:

• Plot Titles: Adding a unit to a temperature plot's title.
• Axis Labels: Labeling axes for temperature or angle data.
• Legends: Including degree symbols in legend entries.
• Figure Names: Naming a figure window with temperature units.

Examples of Usage

Here are some practical examples demonstrating how to use the degree symbol generated by char(176):

1. In a Plot Title:

   x = 0:0.1:10;
   y = sin(x);
   figure;
   plot(x, y);
   title(['Temperature vs. Time (in ' char(176) 'C)']); % Concatenate string with char(176)
   xlabel('Time (s)');
   ylabel('Temperature');

2. In an Axis Label:

   theta = 0:pi/20:2*pi;
   rho = sin(2*theta).*cos(2*theta);
   polarplot(theta, rho);
   title('Polar Plot Example');
   % Note: xlabel/ylabel behave differently in polarplot, but the principle applies to cartesian axes
   % For cartesian: xlabel(['Angle (' char(176) ')']);

3. Setting a Figure Name:

   As mentioned in the references, setting the figure title is similar, but you have to set the 'Name' property.

   figure('Name', ['Data Plot (' char(176) 'F)']); % Set the figure window name
   plot(rand(10,1));

Summary of Method

Symbol	Unicode Decimal Value	MATLAB Code
°	176	char(176)

Using char(176) is the standard and most compatible way to display the degree symbol in MATLAB text strings.