Question

For this assignment, you will implement an “automatic reload” algorithm for an EZ Pass account. You may work in pairs for this assignment. However, keep in mind that both students are still responsible for understanding how to code in Matlab.

For the scenario, you will start with $35 in your EZ pass account. And when your account balance drops below $10, the code will automatically reload $25 to the account.

When your matlab code is run, it should at minimum have the following behavior.

Display your current EZ-Pass Balance
Example: Account Balance =$35

Ask the user where they want to drive by displaying text to the workspace and then waiting for user input.
For Example, Matlab should display to the workspace a location as well as the toll cost. You should make these up (don’t use mine). But at minimum, you should have 4 destinations (anywhere you want), and a range of costs. At least one of these costs must be $60 or more.
You should also have an option to end the program, such as option 7 below for “No more driving.”

Where do you want to drive today?

Baltimore-$10
Pittsburg-$30
Boston-$40
Washington DC-$60
Seattle Washington-$200
Moon-$10000000
No more driving-$0

Your code should be able to take the user input (User enters a # 1 through n) and deduct that amount from the user’s EZ Pass Balance.
Also, you should build in some error correction in your code.
If the user does not enter an available option, the code should tell the user that and ask for input again.
Example: User enters 54. The code might say

Sorry, that is not a valid option, please enter another location.

After the toll transaction, your code should display the new EZ Pass account balance.
If the balance drops below $10, the code should reload $25 and notify the user
If the account balance is negative even after the reload, the code should notify the user and remedy the situation to make the balance positive again.
For Example, Matlab could display:

New Account Balance= $5

Reloading $25

Account Balance Now = $30

After each transaction, your code should ask where you want to drive again.
The user should then be prompted to input another location if they wish.
The user may drive as much as they want.
When the user finally decides they do not want to drive anymore, your code should display all the toll transactions in the order they occurred, as well as how much their credit card was charged in automatic reloads.
For Example. Matlab could display:

No more driving! Here is your receipt

Toll Charges= 10

60

30

100000000

40

200

Automatic Reloads has Billed Your Credit Card $20000000000
Thanks for using EZ Pass!!!

Hints for approaching this problem:

Plan out some “pseudo-code” and workflow for how you want to implement your code.

Think about what variables you will need to store throughout the algorithm

Remember, knowing how to use Matlab is knowing how to use Matlab help.

To complete this assignment, you will need to implement function in Matlab that can:

Display text to the workspace
Display variables to the workspace
Take input from the user in the workspace prompt
Perform logic (if, then, else)
Implement loops (for and while loops)
Store data as variables
Perform arithmetic functions on variables

Answer 1

% Matlab script to simulate "automatic reload” algorithm for an EZ Pass account.
ez_balance = 25;
toll= [];
n=0;
reloads = 0;
fprintf('Account Balance= $%d\n',ez_balance);
choice = input('Where do you want to drive today?\n 1) Baltimore-$10 \n 2) Pittsburg-$30\n 3) Boston-$40\n 4) LA-$70\n 5) Washington DC-$80\n 6) Gainsville-$50\n 7) No more driving-$0 ');
while(choice < 1 || choice > 7)
fprintf('Invalid option.\n');
choice = input('Where do you want to drive today?\n 1) Baltimore-$10 \n 2) Pittsburg-$30\n 3) Boston-$40\n 4) LA-$70\n 5) Washington DC-$80\n 6) Gainsville-$50\n 7) No more driving-$0 ');
end
  
while choice ~= 7
if choice == 1
amount = 10;
elseif choice ==2
amount = 30;
elseif choice == 3
amount = 40;
elseif choice == 4
amount = 70;
elseif choice == 5
amount = 80;
else
amount = 50;
end
n = n + 1;
toll(n) = amount;
ez_balance = ez_balance - amount;
fprintf('New Account Balance= $%d',ez_balance);
if(ez_balance < 10)
fprintf('\nReloading $25');
ez_balance = ez_balance + 25;
reloads = reloads + 25;
fprintf('\nAccount Balance= $%d',ez_balance);
end

if(ez_balance < 0)
amount = ceil((-1*ez_balance)/25);
ez_balance = ez_balance + (amount*25);
reloads = amount*25;
fprintf('\n Reloading $%d',(amount*25));
fprintf('\nAccount Balance= $%d',ez_balance);
end

choice = input('\n\nWhere do you want to drive today?\n 1) Baltimore-$10 \n 2) Pittsburg-$30\n 3) Boston-$40\n 4) LA-$70\n 5) Washington DC-$80\n 6) Gainsville-$50\n 7) No more driving-$0 ');
while(choice < 1 || choice > 7)
fprintf('Invalid option.\n');
choice = input('Where do you want to drive today?\n 1) Baltimore-$10 \n 2) Pittsburg-$30\n 3) Boston-$40\n 4) LA-$70\n 5) Washington DC-$80\n 6) Gainsville-$50\n 7) No more driving-$0 ');
end
end

fprintf('\n\nNo more driving! Here is your receipt : ');
fprintf('\nToll Charges : ');
for i=1:length(toll)
fprintf('\n%d',toll(i));
end
fprintf('\nAutomatic Reloads has Billed Your Credit Card $%d',reloads);
fprintf('\nThanks for using EZ Pass!!!\n');

%end of script

Output: