Book Image

Regression Analysis with Python

By : Luca Massaron, Alberto Boschetti
4 (1)
Book Image

Regression Analysis with Python

4 (1)
By: Luca Massaron, Alberto Boschetti

Overview of this book

Regression is the process of learning relationships between inputs and continuous outputs from example data, which enables predictions for novel inputs. There are many kinds of regression algorithms, and the aim of this book is to explain which is the right one to use for each set of problems and how to prepare real-world data for it. With this book you will learn to define a simple regression problem and evaluate its performance. The book will help you understand how to properly parse a dataset, clean it, and create an output matrix optimally built for regression. You will begin with a simple regression algorithm to solve some data science problems and then progress to more complex algorithms. The book will enable you to use regression models to predict outcomes and take critical business decisions. Through the book, you will gain knowledge to use Python for building fast better linear models and to apply the results in Python or in any computer language you prefer.
Table of Contents (16 chapters)
Regression Analysis with Python
Credits
About the Authors
About the Reviewers
www.PacktPub.com
Preface
Index

Chapter 2. Approaching Simple Linear Regression

Having set up all your working tools (directly installing Python and IPython or using a scientific distribution), you are now ready to start using linear models to incorporate new abilities into the software you plan to build, especially predictive capabilities. Up to now, you have developed software solutions based on certain specifications you defined (or specifications that others have handed to you). Your approach has always been to tailor the response of the program to particular inputs, by writing code carefully mapping every single situation to a specific, predetermined response. Reflecting on it, by doing so you were just incorporating practices that you (or others) have learned from experience.

However, the world is complex, and sometimes your experience is not enough to make your software smart enough to make a difference in a fairly competitive business or in challenging problems with many different and mutable facets.

In this chapter...