Element-wise operations (.*, ./, .^) in MATLAB - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What does the operator .* do in MATLAB?

The .* operator performs element-wise multiplication between two arrays of the same size. It multiplies each element in one array by the corresponding element in the other array.

beginner

How is element-wise division represented in MATLAB?

Element-wise division is done using the ./ operator. It divides each element of the first array by the corresponding element of the second array.

intermediate

Explain the difference between * and .* in MATLAB.

* is matrix multiplication, which follows linear algebra rules. .* multiplies arrays element by element, requiring arrays to be the same size or compatible for broadcasting.

beginner

What does the operator .^ do in MATLAB?

The .^ operator raises each element of an array to the power of the corresponding element in another array, performing element-wise exponentiation.

beginner

Why must arrays be the same size for element-wise operations in MATLAB?

Because element-wise operations work by pairing elements at the same positions, arrays must have matching sizes so each element has a partner to operate with.

Which operator performs element-wise multiplication in MATLAB?

A .*

B *

C ./

D .^

The operator .* multiplies arrays element by element.

What happens if you try to use .* on arrays of different sizes?

A MATLAB automatically resizes arrays

B MATLAB returns an error

C MATLAB performs matrix multiplication

D MATLAB ignores extra elements

Element-wise operations require arrays to be the same size; otherwise, MATLAB throws an error.

Which operator would you use to raise each element of an array to the power of 2?

A ^2

B *2

C .^2

D .*2

The .^ operator performs element-wise exponentiation.

What does the operator ./ do?

A Matrix multiplication

B Matrix division

C Element-wise multiplication

D Element-wise division

./ divides each element of one array by the corresponding element of another.

Which operator is used for matrix multiplication in MATLAB?

A *

B .*

C ./

D .^

The * operator performs matrix multiplication following linear algebra rules.

Describe how element-wise multiplication differs from matrix multiplication in MATLAB.

Think about how each element is paired in both operations.

Explain why element-wise operators in MATLAB start with a dot (e.g., .*, ./, .^).

Consider how MATLAB differentiates between matrix and element-wise operations.