Final answer:
In MATLAB, the operator used for matrix multiplication is the asterisk (*). It performs the standard linear algebra matrix multiplication process, where the product is not element-wise and the dimensions of the matrices must be compatible.
Step-by-step explanation:
To perform matrix multiplication in MATLAB, you use the asterisk (*) operator. This operator is designed specifically for matrix multiplication, which is a fundamental operation in linear algebra. When multiplying matrices, the number of columns in the first matrix must be equal to the number of rows in the second matrix to be compatible for this operation.
For instance, if you have two matrices, A and B, the matrix multiplication is performed by writing A * B in MATLAB's command window or script. It is important to note that this operation is not element-wise - that's another operation represented by dot operator (.*). Matrix multiplication involves the summation of products between rows and columns of the participating matrices.
Remember, matrix multiplication in MATLAB is not commutative, similar to the mathematical rule, meaning that A * B might not be equal to B * A. Furthermore, make sure the dimensions of matrices are compatible for multiplication.