How to plot years on x axis

I have monthly mean temperature data for about 31 years from 1975-2005. Each year I am having 12 values. How to plot this data having years on x-axis.

The format of the data is shown below:

1975 -66.0577

1975 -66.3039

1975 -65.4235

1975 -66.6143

1975 -66.1449

1975 -70.4912

1975 -73.0337

1975 -73.8322

1975 -69.5114

1975 -65.6445

1975 -65.815

1975 -65.5371

1976 -63.9651

1976 -66.7147

1976 -66.5698

1976 -66.4407

1976 -66.4912

1976 -69.1049

1976 -71.5498

1976 -73.0278

1976 -70.1491

1976 -69.9583

1976 -68.8625

1976 -63.2717

Answer 1

[Star Strider]

There are several ways to approach that, including datetime (link) arrays.

A simple solution is:

M = [  1975  -66.0577 
       1975  -66.3039 
       1975  -65.4235 
       1975  -66.6143 
       1975  -66.1449 
       1975  -70.4912 
       1975  -73.0337 
       1975  -73.8322 
       1975  -69.5114 
       1975  -65.6445 
       1975  -65.815 
       1975  -65.5371 
       1976  -63.9651 
       1976  -66.7147 
       1976  -66.5698 
       1976  -66.4407 
       1976  -66.4912 
       1976  -69.1049 
       1976  -71.5498 
       1976  -73.0278 
       1976  -70.1491 
       1976  -69.9583 
       1976  -68.8625 
       1976  -63.2717];

T = datenum([M(:,1) ceil(rem(1:size(M,1),12.1))', zeros(size(M,1),3) ones(size(M,1),1)]);

figure
plot(T, M(:,2))
datetick('x', 'yyyy')
xlim([min(T), max(T)])

Experiment to get the result you want.

[Vivek]

This code is working well but when try on long term data the time series graph does't come in proper way.

[Vivek]

When apply on long term data the figure comes like this....can you please explain the error.

[Star Strider]

I have no idea what the error is.

It could be that some of the data are out of order, or perhaps some months were missing from your data.

[Vivek]

Find the attached data file here...

[Star Strider]

This works:

M = load('m.txt');

T = datetime(M(1,1),1,1) : calmonths(1) : datetime(M(end,1),12,1);

figure
plot(T, M(:,2))
xlim([min(T), max(T)])

The datetime (link) functions were introduced in R2014b.

[Vivek]

Thanks...it is working well

[Star Strider]

As always, my pleasure.

I should have done that to begin with, rather than creating my own vector.

[Apostolos Ampountolas]

Unfortunately, it doesn't work for me.

I downloaded the file, copy, run the provided code, however I am always getting the same error:

Error using plot

Vectors must be the same length.