# min

## Purpose

Minimum elements of a matrix.

## Synopsis

    y = min(X)
    [y,i] = min(X)
    C = min(A,B)

## Description

`min(X)`, where `X` is a vector, is the smallest element in `X`. For matrices, `min(X)` is a row vector containing the minimum element from each column and `min(min(X))` is the smallest element in the entire matrix.

`[y,i]` =`min(X)` stores the indices of the minimum values in vector `i`. If there are several identical minimum values, the index of the first one found is returned.

`C = min(A,B)` returns a matrix the same size as `A` and `B` with the smallest elements taken from `A` or `B`.

For complex input `X`, `min` returns the complex number with the smallest modulus, computed with `min(abs(X))`.

For matrices, if a column of `X` contains a `NaN`, the element of the answer corresponding to that column will be `NaN`.

For vectors, if any element of `X` is `NaN`, the answer will be `NaN`.

## Examples

Start with `A = magic(3)`

     A =
        8    1    6
        3    5    7
        4    9    2

Then `min(A)` is the vector

        3    1    2

and `min(min(A))` is the scalar

     1

Furthermore, `[m,i] = min(A)` produces

     m =
        3    1    2

     i =
        2    1    3

## See Also

    isnan, max, sort

(c) Copyright 1994 by The MathWorks, Inc.