Introduction to Machine Learning

Introduction to Machine Learning

1. What is Machine Learning?

1. old and informal definition:
   the field of study that gives computers the ability to learn without being explicitly programmed
2. common definition:
   A computer program is said to learn from experience E with respect to some class of tasks T and performance measure P, if its performance at tasks in T, as measured by P, improves with experience E.

• RMK
  Example: Playing checkers.
  E = the experience of playing many games of checkers
  T = the task of playing checkers.
  P = the probability that the program will win the next game.

3. In general, any machine learning problem can be assigned to one of two broad classifications:
   tySupervised learning and Unsupervised learning.

2. Supervised learning

• In supervised learning, we are given a data set and already know what our correct output should look like, having the idea that there is a relationship between the input and the output.
  • regression: trying to predict results within a continuous output
  • classification: trying to predict results in a discrete output

3. Unsupervised learning

• Unsupervised learning allows us to approach problems with little or no idea what our results should look like. We can derive structure from data where we don’t necessarily know the effect of the variables.
  • clustering
  • non-clustering