Book Image

Machine Learning with R

By : Brett Lantz
Book Image

Machine Learning with R

By: Brett Lantz

Overview of this book

Machine learning, at its core, is concerned with transforming data into actionable knowledge. This fact makes machine learning well-suited to the present-day era of "big data" and "data science". Given the growing prominence of R—a cross-platform, zero-cost statistical programming environment—there has never been a better time to start applying machine learning. Whether you are new to data science or a veteran, machine learning with R offers a powerful set of methods for quickly and easily gaining insight from your data. "Machine Learning with R" is a practical tutorial that uses hands-on examples to step through real-world application of machine learning. Without shying away from the technical details, we will explore Machine Learning with R using clear and practical examples. Well-suited to machine learning beginners or those with experience. Explore R to find the answer to all of your questions. How can we use machine learning to transform data into action? Using practical examples, we will explore how to prepare data for analysis, choose a machine learning method, and measure the success of the process. We will learn how to apply machine learning methods to a variety of common tasks including classification, prediction, forecasting, market basket analysis, and clustering. By applying the most effective machine learning methods to real-world problems, you will gain hands-on experience that will transform the way you think about data. "Machine Learning with R" will provide you with the analytical tools you need to quickly gain insight from complex data.
Table of Contents (19 chapters)
Machine Learning with R
Credits
About the Author
About the Reviewers
www.PacktPub.com
Preface
9
Finding Groups of Data – Clustering with k-means
Index

Chapter 8. Finding Patterns – Market Basket Analysis Using Association Rules

Think back to the last time you made an impulse purchase. Maybe you were waiting in the grocery store checkout lane and bought a pack of chewing gum or a candy bar. Perhaps on a late-night trip to a convenience store for diapers and formula you picked up a caffeinated beverage or a six-pack of beer. You might have even bought this book on a whim after it was recommended to you by your favorite bookseller. In any case, it is no coincidence that gum and candy are located in checkout lanes, convenience stores stock beer in addition to diapers, and the bookstore seems to know exactly which book will catch your interest.

In years past, these type of recommendation systems were based on the subjective experience of marketing professionals and inventory managers or buyers. More recently, machine learning has been used to learn these patterns of purchasing behavior. Barcode scanners, computerized inventory systems, and online...