Applying

Supervised Learning
When to Consider
Supervised Learning

A supervised learning algorithm takes a known set of input data (the

training set) and known responses to the data (output), and trains a
model to generate reasonable predictions for the response
to new input data. Use supervised learning if you have existing data for
the output you are trying to predict.
Supervised Learning Techniques

All supervised learning techniques are a form of classification or

regression.

Classification techniques predict discrete responses—for example,

whether an email is genuine or spam, or whether a tumor is small,
medium, or large. Classification models are trained to classify data
into categories. Applications include medical imaging, speech
recognition, and credit scoring.

Regression techniques predict continuous responses—for example,

changes in temperature or fluctuations in electricity demand.
Applications include forecasting stock prices, handwriting
recognition, and acoustic signal processing.

• Can your data be tagged or categorized? If your

data can be separated into specific groups or
classes, use classification algorithms.

• Working with a data range? If the nature of your

response is a real number –such as temperature, or
the time until failure for a piece of equipment--use
regression techniques.

Applying Supervised Learning 3

Selecting the Right Algorithm

As we saw in section 1, selecting a machine learning algorithm is

a process of trial and error. It’s also a trade-off between specific
characteristics of the algorithms, such as:

• Speed of training
• Memory usage
• Predictive accuracy on new data
• Transparency or interpretability (how easily you can
understand the reasons an algorithm makes its predictions)
Let’s take a closer look at the most commonly used classification
and regression algorithms.

Using larger training datasets often yield models that

generalize well for new data.

Applying Supervised Learning 4

Binary vs. Multiclass Classification

When you are working on a classification problem, begin by

determining whether the problem is binary or multiclass. In
a binary classification problem, a single training or test item
(instance) can only be divided into two classes—for example, if
you want to determine whether an email is genuine or spam. In
a multiclass classification problem, it can be divided into more
than two—for example, if you want to train a model to classify an
image as a dog, cat, or other animal.

Bear in mind that a multiclass classification problem is generally

more challenging because it requires a more complex model.

Certain algorithms (for example, logistic regression) are

designed specifically for binary classification problems.
During training, these algorithms tend to be more
efficient than multiclass algorithms.

Applying Supervised Learning 5

Common Classification Algorithms

Logistic Regression k Nearest Neighbor (kNN)

How it Works How it Works
Fits a model that can predict the probability of a binary kNN categorizes objects based on the classes of their
response belonging to one class or the other. Because of its nearest neighbors in the dataset. kNN predictions assume
simplicity, logistic regression is commonly used as a starting that objects near each other are similar. Distance metrics,
point for binary classification problems. such as Euclidean, city block, cosine, and Chebychev, are
used to find the nearest neighbor.
Best Used...
Best Used...
• When data can be clearly separated by a single,
linear boundary • When you need a simple algorithm to establish
• As a baseline for evaluating more complex benchmark learning rules
classification methods • When memory usage of the trained model is a lesser
concern
• When prediction speed of the trained model is a lesser
concern

Applying Supervised Learning 6

Common Classification Algorithms continued

Support Vector Machine (SVM)

How It Works
Classifies data by finding the linear decision boundary
(hyperplane) that separates all data points of one class from
those of the other class. The best hyperplane for an SVM is the
one with the largest margin between the two classes, when the
data is linearly separable. If the data is not linearly separable, a
loss function is used to penalize points on the wrong side of the
hyperplane. SVMs sometimes use a kernel transform to transform
nonlinearly separable data into higher dimensions where a linear
decision boundary can be found.

Best Used...

• For data that has exactly two classes (you can also use it
for multiclass classification with a technique called error-
correcting output codes)
• For high-dimensional, nonlinearly separable data
• When you need a classifier that’s simple, easy to interpret,
and accurate

Applying Supervised Learning 7

Common Classification Algorithms continued

Neural Network Naïve Bayes

How it Works How It Works
Inspired by the human brain, a neural network consists of A naive Bayes classifier assumes that the presence of a
highly connected networks of neurons that relate the inputs particular feature in a class is unrelated to the presence of
to the desired outputs. The network is trained by iteratively any other feature. It classifies new data based on the highest
modifying the strengths of the connections so that given probability of its belonging to a particular class.
inputs map to the correct response.
Best Used...
Best Used...
• For a small dataset containing many parameters
• For modeling highly nonlinear systems • When you need a classifier that’s easy to interpret
• When data is available incrementally and you wish to • When the model will encounter scenarios that weren’t
constantly update the model in the training data, as is the case with many financial
• When there could be unexpected changes in your and medical applications
input data
• When model interpretability is not a key concern

Applying Supervised Learning 8

Common Classification Algorithms continued

Discriminant Analysis
How It Works
Discriminant analysis classifies data by finding linear combinations
of features. Discriminant analysis assumes that different classes
generate data based on Gaussian distributions. Training a
discriminant analysis model involves finding the parameters for a
Gaussian distribution for each class. The distribution parameters
are used to calculate boundaries, which can be linear or
quadratic functions. These boundaries are used to determine the
class of new data.

Best Used...

• When you need a simple model that is easy to interpret

• When memory usage during training is a concern
• When you need a model that is fast to predict

Applying Supervised Learning 9

Common Classification Algorithms continued

Decision Tree Bagged and Boosted Decision Trees

How it Works How They Work
A decision tree lets you predict responses to data by following In these ensemble methods, several “weaker” decision trees are
the decisions in the tree from the root (beginning) down to a combined into a “stronger” ensemble.
leaf node. A tree consists of branching conditions where the
A bagged decision tree consists of trees that are trained
value of a predictor is compared to a trained weight. The
independently on data that is bootstrapped from the input data.
number of branches and the values of weights are determined
in the training process. Additional modification, or pruning, Boosting involves creating a strong learner by iteratively adding
may be used to simplify the model. “weak” learners and adjusting the weight of each weak learner
to focus on misclassified examples.
Best Used...
Best Used...
• When you need an algorithm that is easy to interpret and
fast to fit • When predictors are categorical (discrete) or behave
• To minimize memory usage nonlinearly
• When high predictive accuracy is not a requirement • When the time taken to train a model is less of a concern

Applying Supervised Learning 10

Common Classification Algorithms continued

Example: Predictive Maintenance for Manufacturing Equipment

A plastic production plant delivers about 18 million tons of plastic

and thin film products annually. The plant’s 900 workers operate
24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

To minimize machine failures and maximize plant efficiency,

engineers develop a health monitoring and predictive maintenance
application that uses advanced statistics and machine learning
algorithms to identify potential issues with the machines so that
operators can take corrective action and prevent serious problems
from occurring.

After collecting, cleaning, and logging data from all the machines
in the plant, the engineers evaluate several machine learning
techniques, including neural networks, k-nearest neighbors,
bagged decision trees, and support vector machines (SVMs). For
each technique, they train a classification model using the logged
machine data and then test the model’s ability to predict machine
problems. The tests show that an ensemble of bagged decision
trees is the most accurate model for predicting the production
quality.

Applying Unsupervised
Supervised Learning
Learning 11
Common Regression Algorithms

Linear Regression Nonlinear Regression

How it Works How It Works
Linear regression is a statistical modeling technique used to Nonlinear regression is a statistical modeling technique that
describe a continuous response variable as a linear function helps describe nonlinear relationships in experimental data.
of one or more predictor variables. Because linear regression Nonlinear regression models are generally assumed to be
models are simple to interpret and easy to train, they are parametric, where the model is described as a nonlinear
often the first model to be fitted to a new dataset. equation.

Best Used... “Nonlinear” refers to a fit function that is a nonlinear function

of the parameters. For example, if the fitting parameters
• When you need an algorithm that is easy to interpret
are b0, b1, and b2: the equation y = b0+b1x+b2x2 is a linear
and fast to fit
function of the fitting parameters, whereas y = (b0xb1)/(x+b2)
• As a baseline for evaluating other, more complex,
is a nonlinear function of the fitting parameters.
regression models
Best Used...

• When data has strong

nonlinear trends and
cannot be easily
transformed into a
linear space
• For fitting custom models
to data

Applying Supervised Learning 12

Common Regression Algorithms continued

Gaussian Process Regression Model SVM Regression

How it Works How It Works
Gaussian process regression (GPR) models are SVM regression algorithms work like SVM classification
nonparametric models that are used for predicting the value algorithms, but are modified to be able to predict a
of a continuous response variable. They are widely used in continuous response. Instead of finding a hyperplane that
the field of spatial analysis for interpolation in the presence separates data, SVM regression algorithms find a model that
of uncertainty. GPR is also referred to as Kriging. deviates from the measured data by a value no greater than
a small amount, with parameter values that are as small as
Best Used...
possible (to minimize sensitivity to error).
• For interpolating spatial data, such as hydrogeological
Best Used...
data for the distribution of ground water
• As a surrogate model to facilitate optimization of • For high-dimensional data (where there will be a large
complex designs such as automotive engines number of predictor variables)

Applying Supervised Learning 13

Common Regression Algorithms continued

Generalized Linear Model Regression Tree

How it Works How It Works
A generalized linear model is a special case of nonlinear Decision trees for regression are similar to decision trees for
models that uses linear methods. It involves fitting a linear classification, but they are modified to be able to predict
combination of the inputs to a nonlinear function (the link continuous responses.
function) of the outputs.
Best Used...
Best Used...
• When predictors are categorical (discrete) or behave
• When the response variables have nonnormal nonlinearly
distributions, such as a response variable that is
always expected to be positive

Applying Supervised Learning 14

Common Regression Algorithms continued

Example: Forecasting Energy Load

Utility analysts at a large gas and electricity company developed

models that predict energy demand for the following day. The
models enable power grid operators to optimize resources and
schedule power plant generation. Each model accesses a central
database for historical power consumption and price data,
weather forecasts, and parameters for each power plant, including
maximum power out, efficiency, costs, and all the operation
constraints that influence the plant dispatch.

Analysts looked for a model that provided a low mean absolute

percent error (MAPE) to the testing data set. After trying several
different types of regression models, it was determined that neural
networks provided the lowest MAPE due to their ability to capture
the nonlinear behavior of the system.

Applying Unsupervised
Supervised Learning
Learning 15
Improving Models

Improving a model means increasing its accuracy and predictive

power and preventing overfitting (when the model cannot
distinguish between data and noise). Model improvement involves
feature engineering (feature selection and transformation) and FEATURE SELECTION
hyperparameter tuning.

Feature selection: Identifying the most relevant features, or

variables, that provide the best predictive power in modeling your FEATURE
data. This could mean adding variables to the model or removing TRANSFORMATION
variables that do not improve model performance.

Feature transformation: Turning existing features into new

features using techniques such as principal component analysis,
nonnegative matrix factorization, and factor analysis. TRAIN MODEL HYPERPARAMETER
TUNING
Hyperparameter tuning: The process of identifying the set of
parameters that provides the best model. Hyperparameters control
how a machine learning algorithm fits the model to the data.

Applying Supervised Learning 16

Feature Selection

Feature selection is one of the most important tasks in machine

learning. It’s especially useful when you’re dealing with high-
dimensional data or when your dataset contains a large number of
features and a limited number of observations. Reducing features
also saves storage and computation time and makes your results
easier to understand.

Common feature selection techniques include:

Stepwise regression: Sequentially adding or removing features until

there is no improvement in prediction accuracy.

Sequential feature selection: Iteratively adding or removing

predictor variables and evaluating the effect of each change on
the performance of the model.

Regularization: Using shrinkage estimators to remove redundant

features by reducing their weights (coefficients) to zero.

Neighborhood component analysis (NCA): Finding the weight each

feature has in predicting the output, so that features with lower
weights can be discarded. A model is only as good as the features you
select to train it.

Applying Supervised Learning 17

Feature Transformation

Feature transformation is a form of dimensionality reduction. As we saw in section 3, the three most commonly used dimensionality
reduction techniques are:

Principal component analysis (PCA): Performs a linear

transformation on the data so that most of the variance or
information in your high-dimensional dataset is captured by the
first few principal components. The first principal component
will capture the most variance, followed by the second principal
component, and so on.

Nonnegative matrix factorization: Used when model terms must

represent nonnegative quantities, such as physical quantities.

Factor analysis: Identifies underlying correlations between variables

in your dataset to provide a representation in terms of a smaller
number of unobserved latent factors, or common factors.

Applying Supervised Learning 18

Hyperparameter Tuning

Like many machine learning tasks, parameter tuning is an iterative

process. You begin by setting parameters based on a “best guess”
of the outcome. Your goal is to find the “best possible” values—
those that yield the best model. As you adjust parameters and
model performance begins to improve, you see which parameter
settings are effective and which still require tuning.

Three common parameter tuning methods are:

• Bayesian optimization
• Grid search
• Gradient-based optimization

A simple algorithm with well-tuned parameters often

produces a better model than an inadequately tuned
complex algorithm.

Applying Supervised Learning 19

 Learn More

Ready for a deeper dive? Explore these machine learning

methods, examples, and tools.
Getting Started with Supervised Learning Regression
Classification Linear Regression

Machine Learning with MATLAB: What are Generalized Linear Models?

Getting Started with Classification Regression Trees
Introductory Classification Examples Train a Regression Ensemble to Predict the
Bayesian Brain Teaser Fuel Economy of a Car

Explore Decision Trees Interactively Feature Selection

Support Vector Machines Selecting Features for Classifying High-Dimensional Data
K-Nearest Neighbor Classification
Train a Classification Ensemble
Predicting Tumor Class from Gene Expression
Data Using Bagged Decision Trees

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