Does matlab have data type of sym?

I set a as symbolic. Then I check if a is a char and I get a false. If later I ask the class of a then its char. Suppose I make the check if a is symbolic then I get true. Since the outcome of class is char I would expect that the check for char would also be true. Please see the example below.

>> clear
  >> syms a
  >> isa(a,'char')

    ans =

         0

    >> class a

    ans =

    char

I would appreciate if you explain me what's going on. Thank you.

Answer 1

[Azzi Abdelmalek]

clear 
syms a 
class(a)

The class of a is sym, not char

[Giorgos Papakonstantinou]

But is there really a sym class because I haven't find it in the documentation?

[Walter Roberson]

sym is part of the symbolic toolbox, and so is documented separately.