Chapter 7
Performing Pattern Matching
IN THIS CHAPTER
Understanding data patterns
Looking for patterns in data
Adding pattern matching to applications
Patterns are a set of qualities, properties, or tendencies that form a characteristic or consistent arrangement — a repetitive model. Humans are good at seeing strong patterns everywhere and in everything. In fact, we purposely place patterns in everyday things, such as wallpaper or fabric. However, computers are better than humans are at seeing weak or extremely complex patterns because computers have the memory capacity and processing speed to do so. The capability to see a pattern is pattern matching, which is the overall topic for this chapter. Pattern matching is an essential component in the usefulness of computer systems and has been from the outset, so this chapter is hardly about something radical or new. Even so, understanding how computers find patterns is incredibly important in defining how this seemingly old technology plays such an important part in new applications such as AI, machine learning, deep learning, and data analysis of all sorts.
The most useful patterns are those that we can share with others. To share a ...
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