Is there a way to get the switch and case function to be part of the overall formula?

I'm trying to create this code that when you choose triangle it will choose n=3 that then will be able to be included in the interior angles sum formula. is that possible? this is for school it's for the question below;

(n−2)(180 degrees)where n is the number of sides.

Write a program that prompts the user to enter one of the following triangle

square

pentagon

hexagon

Use the input to define the value of n via a switch/case structure; then use n to calculate the sum of the interior angles in the figure.

This is the code I have

clear, clc
shapes = input('Choose one', 'Triangle', 'Square', 'Pentagon', 'Hexagon')
switch shapes
    case 3
        Triangle = 3
        n = Triangle
        sum = (n-2)*(180)
        table = [n; sum]
        fprintf('n = %g sum of all interior angles is %g degrees \n', table)
    case 4 
        n = 4
        sum = (n-2)*(180)
        table = [n; sum]
        fprintf('n = %g sum of all interior angles is %g degrees \n', table)
    case 5 
        n = 5
        sum = (n-2)*(180)
        table = [n; sum]
        fprintf('n = %g sum of all interior angles is %g degrees \n', table)
    case 6 
        n = 6
        sum = (n-2)*(180)
        table = [n; sum]
        fprintf('n = %g sum of all interior angles is %g degrees \n', table)
end

Answer 1

[Stephen23]

It is a good start, but you should:

• read the help for each function that you use, then you would learn than input does not accept multiple inputs.
• you would also learn that the function input does not return an index, as you have used in your code.
• move the lines sum = ..., table = ... and fprintf... to after the switch (after all, that is the whole point of using that formula!).
• avoid using the variable names sum and table, which are names of important inbuilt functions.

I simplified your code: made input return a simple char vector, provided the correct input to switch, and moved the calculation to after the switch:

shape = input('Choose one of Triangle, Square, Pentagon, or Hexagon: ','s')
switch lower(shape)
    case 'triangle'
        n = 3;
    case 'square' 
        n = 4;
    case 'pentagon'
        n = 5;
    case 'hexagon'
        n = 6;
end
fprintf('n = %g sum of all interior angles is %g degrees \n',n,(n-2)*(180))

Note that this actually follows the guidelines that you were given: "Use the input to define the value of n via a switch/case structure; then use n to calculate the sum of the interior angles in the figure."

[Christian Jaramillo]

Thank you so much for your help with this. It makes a lot more sense the way you wrote the code, and thanks for the advice!!