Transformer from Scratch
Full walkthroughPart 2Lesson 13

Add Positional Encoding To Embeddings

Embeddings and Positional Encoding

+5 XPLesson 13 of 79
LEARNING OBJECTIVE

Build Add Positional Encoding To Embeddings as one small, testable piece of Embeddings and Positional Encoding.

By the end, you will know what this function owns, why the larger system needs it, how its mathematics works, and how to prove your code is correct.

01 · CONCEPT

Understand the idea first

Add Positional Encoding To Embeddings has one clear responsibility. Think of it as a small tool on a workbench: it should accept a well-defined input, perform exactly one job, and return an output the next step can trust. Keeping this boundary small is what lets a large Transformer from Scratch system remain understandable.

Why this step exists

This step exists because scale embeddings and construct the sinusoidal positional encoding matrix added to input embeddings. Later lessons assume this behavior already works, so correctness here removes uncertainty from everything downstream.

02 · INTUITION

Build a mental picture

Imagine data moving through a row of small, labelled boxes. This lesson builds exactly one box. The label tells us what may enter, the implementation tells us what happens inside, and the return value tells the next box what it may safely expect.

DocumentsChunksVectorsTop-k contextAnswer
Grounded generationThe answer receives only the evidence selected by retrieval.
INPUTDocumented values, shapes and types
ADD_POSITIONAL_ENCODING_TO_EMBEDDINGSOne focused transformation
OUTPUTA predictable, testable result
03 · MATHEMATICS

Derive it carefully

The symbols below express the core relationship used in this part of the project. MathJax renders the equation so fractions, matrices, superscripts, and alignment remain readable.

  1. 1

    Name every input and write down its shape, dtype, and legal range.

  2. 2

    Express the transformation independently of the surrounding project.

  3. 3

    Check the smallest normal case, an edge case, and an invalid case.

  4. 4

    Only after those checks pass, connect the function to the next lesson.

Do not memorize the symbols. Ask what each symbol represents in code, what shape it has, and which axis is reduced.

04 · IMPLEMENTATION

Turn the idea into code

Start with the contract, implement the smallest correct behavior, and use tests before optimizing. Reveal the reference only after making a real attempt.

def add_positional_encoding_to_embeddings(*args, **kwargs):
    """Implement Add Positional Encoding To Embeddings."""
    # TODO: follow the contracts and checks on this page.
    raise NotImplementedError
05 · VERIFY

Prove it works

Normal case

Use the smallest representative input and compare exact values.

Edge case

Try empty, full, boundary, masked, or single-item input.

Purity check

Confirm whether inputs should stay unchanged and repeated calls are independent.

Common mistakes

  • Changing the input in place when later code expects it to remain unchanged.
  • Returning the right values with the wrong shape or dtype.
  • Testing only the happy path and missing empty, full, masked, or boundary inputs.
KNOWLEDGE CHECK

What should you verify first for Add Positional Encoding To Embeddings?

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