function r = vpa(s,d)
%VPA    Variable precision arithmetic. 
%   R = VPA(S) numerically evaluates each element of the double matrix
%   S using variable precision floating point arithmetic with D decimal 
%   digit accuracy, where D is the current setting of DIGITS. 
%   The resulting R is a SYM.
% 
%   VPA(S,D) uses D digits, instead of the current setting of DIGITS.
%   D is an integer or the SYM representation of a number.
%
%   It is important to avoid the evaluation of an expression using double
%   precision floating point arithmetic before it is passed to VPA.
%   For example,
%      phi = vpa((1+sqrt(5))/2)
%   first computes a 16-digit approximation to the golden ratio, then
%   converts that approximation to one with d digits, where d is the current
%   setting of DIGITS.  To get full precision, use unevaluated string or
%   symbolic arguments,
%      phi = vpa('(1+sqrt(5))/2')
%   or
%      s = sym('sqrt(5)')
%      phi = vpa((1+s)/2);
%
%   Additional examples:
%      vpa(pi,780) shows six consecutive 9's near digit 770 in the
%         decimal expansion of pi.
%
%      vpa(hilb(2),5) returns
%
%         [    1., .50000]
%         [.50000, .33333]
%
%   See also DOUBLE, DIGITS.

%   Copyright 1993-2003 The MathWorks, Inc.
%   $Revision: 1.12.4.2 $  $Date: 2004/04/16 22:23:32 $

if nargin < 2
   d = digits;
end;
r = vpa(sym(s),d);