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Linear Algebra in Machine Learning
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In the context of machine learning, how do eigenvalues and eigenvectors contribute to dimensionality reduction techniques such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA)?

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Choose the Best Answer

A

They reduce data complexity by maximizing variance along new axes.

B

They create complex feature interactions that increase dimensionality.

C

They serve to classify data points into predefined categories.

D

They ensure that all data dimensions contribute equally to the output.

Understanding the Answer

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Answer

In PCA, the data’s covariance matrix is computed and then broken into eigenvalues and eigenvectors. The eigenvectors give directions (principal components) that capture the most variation, while the eigenvalues tell how much variance each direction holds. By keeping only the eigenvectors with the largest eigenvalues, we keep the most important patterns and drop the rest, shrinking the data’s dimension. For example, if a 3‑dimensional dataset has eigenvalues 5, 1, and 0. 1, we might keep only the first two eigenvectors, reducing the data from three to two dimensions while preserving most of the information.

Detailed Explanation

Eigenvectors point to directions where the data spreads the most. Other options are incorrect because Some think eigenvectors add more features, but they actually pick the best ones; Eigenvectors are not used to label data.

Key Concepts

Eigenvalues
Eigenvectors
Topic

Linear Algebra in Machine Learning

Difficulty

medium level question

Cognitive Level

understand

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