computer science

INTLAB

INTLAB is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand INTLAB rather than just read about it. In short: INTLAB (INTerval LABoratory) is an interval arithmetic library using MATLAB and GNU Octave, available in Windows and Linux, macOS. It was developed by S.M.

Key takeaways

INTLAB belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect INTLAB to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of INTLAB from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

INTLAB (INTerval LABoratory) is an interval arithmetic library using MATLAB and GNU Octave, available in Windows and Linux, macOS. It was developed by S.M. Rump from Hamburg University of Technology. INTLAB was used to develop other MATLAB-based libraries such as VERSOFT and INTSOLVER, and it was used to solve some problems in the Hundred-dollar, Hundred-digit Challenge problems.

Version history 12/30/1998 Version 1 03/06/1999 Version 2 11/16/1999 Version 3 03/07/2002 Version 3.1 12/08/2002 Version 4 12/27/2002 Version 4.1 01/22/2003 Version 4.1.1 11/18/2003 Version 4.1.2 04/04/2004 Version 5 06/04/2005 Version 5.1 12/20/2005 Version 5.2 05/26/2006 Version 5.3 05/31/2007 Version 5.4 11/05/2008 Version 5.5 05/08/2009 Version 6 12/12/2012 Version 7 06/24/2013 Version 7.1 05/10/2014 Version 8 01/22/2015 Version 9 12/07/2016 Version 9.1 05/29/2017 Version 10 07/24/2017 Version 10.1 12/15/2017 Version 10.2 01/07/2019 Version 11 03/06/2020 Version 12

Functionality INTLAB can help users to solve the following mathematical/numerical problems with interval arithmetic.

Works cited by INTLAB INTLAB is based on the previous studies of the main author, including his works with co-authors.

External links

See also List of numerical analysis software Comparison of linear algebra libraries

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with INTLAB

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what INTLAB claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to INTLAB before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about INTLAB ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of INTLAB

In research: INTLAB appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses INTLAB in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: INTLAB is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Computational science, Computer arithmetic, Numerical analysis, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for INTLAB outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study INTLAB in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what INTLAB means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain INTLAB out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is INTLAB in simple terms?

INTLAB (INTerval LABoratory) is an interval arithmetic library using MATLAB and GNU Octave, available in Windows and Linux, macOS. It was developed by S.M.

Why does INTLAB matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study INTLAB?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on INTLAB.