Re: Very basic question

[pben]

Hello Uli,

You are running into a fundamental issue with matrices.

If you multiply matrix A by matrix B, then their "inner" dimensions must be the same. That is, the number of columns in A must equal the number of rows in B.

If what you want is the "inner product" or "dot product" of two _vectors_, then you must stay aware as to whether the vectors are row or column vectors (actually in Octave and Matlab there are no vectors, just matrices made with a single row or single column).

You could get a result using a transpose

a * b'

Then the results would be 1*1+2*2+3*3=14

Or you could get a result using an element by element multiply

a .* b

Then the result would be a 1 x 3 (1 row, 3 cols) equal to [ 1*1 2*2 3*3] = [1 4 9]

Hope this helps,
Ben


Ulrich Grassberger <address@hidden>

Ulrich Grassberger <address@hidden> 07/30/2003 03:42 PM

To: Octave mailing list <address@hidden> cc: Subject: Very basic question

Hello,

when I type
a = [1,2,3]
b = [1,2,3]
a * b

Octave tells me
error: operator *: nonconformant arguments (op1 is 1x3, op2 is 1x3)
error: evaluating binary operator `*' near line 3, column 3

a=1
b=1
a*b

works. Oh yeah!

Uli


-- 

(Grassomusic.de)



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