---
title: "Attention mask mathematical notation"
description: "Attention mask is a recurring research-paper notation family. Marks query-key pairs that attention may use, often by adding zero to allowed scores and…"
canonical_url: "https://fanout.sh/labs/math-decoder/symbol/attention-mask"
md_url: "https://fanout.sh/labs/math-decoder/symbol/attention-mask.md"
last_updated: "2026-08-09"
access: "public"
---

# Attention mask mathematical notation

Attention mask is a recurring research-paper notation family. Marks query-key pairs that attention may use, often by adding zero to allowed scores and…

## Public overview

Attention mask is a recurring research-paper notation family. Marks query-key pairs that attention may use, often by adding zero to allowed scores and negative infinity to blocked scores.

Attention mask: Marks query-key pairs that attention may use, often by adding zero to allowed scores and negative infinity to blocked scores. Example: Blocked score positions receive effectively zero probability after softmax.

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