MATLAB: Transfer function input format

transfer function

is there a way of writing transfer functions in the format (s+1)(s+2) instead of (s^2+3s+2)? thanks

Yes.

This works (in R2017b):

s = tf('s');
sys = (s+1)*(s+2)
sys =
    s^2 + 3 s + 2
Continuous-time transfer function.

You have to supply the multiplication operator, or it will throw an error.

 s = tf('s');
 G = 1 / (s * (s + 2) * (s + 4));
 pole(G)

s = tf('s')
G = (s+2)/(s*(s-1)*(s+6)^2)

This gives a transfer function (tf) with the polynomials expanded

G =
             s + 2
  ----------------------------
  s^4 + 11 s^3 + 24 s^2 - 36 s

Or you can express it as a ZPK (zero-pole-gain)

G = zpk((s+2)/(s*(s-1)*(s+6)^2))

Then you get

G =
       (s+2)
  ---------------
  s (s+6)^2 (s-1)