MATLAB for Machine Learning - Second Edition

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Prediction Using Classification and Regression

Classification algorithms return accurate predictions based on our observations. Starting from a set of predefined class labels, the classifier assigns each piece of input data a class label according to the training model. Classification algorithms learn linear or non-linear associations between independent and categorical dependent variables. For example, a classification algorithm may learn to predict the weather as clear sky, gentle showers or heavy rain, and so on. Regression relates a set of independent variables to a dependent variable, numeric or continuous, for example, predicting rainfall in units of millimeters. Through this technique, it is possible to understand how the value of the ...