Machine Learning Week 2 Quiz 1 (Linear
Regression with Multiple Variables)
Stanford Coursera
Question 1
Suppose m=4 students have taken some class, and the class had a midterm exam and a
final exam. You have collected a dataset of their scores on the two exams, which is as
follows:
Midterm Exam (midterm exam)2
89 7921 96
72 5184 74
94 8836 87
69 4761 78
You'd like to use polynomial regression to predict a student's final exam score from their
midterm exam score. Concretely, suppose you want to fit a model of the form
hθ(x)=θ0+θ1x1+θ2x2, where x1 is the midterm score and x2 is (midterm score)2. Further, you
plan to use both feature scaling (dividing by the "max-min", or range, of a feature) and
mean normalization.
What is the normalized feature x2(4)? (Hint: midterm = 69, final = 78 is training example
4.) Please round off your answer to two decimal places and enter in the text box below.
Answer:
The mean of x2 is 6675.5 (= (7921+5184+8836+4761):4 ) and the range is 8836 - 4761 is
4075.
x2(4) = (4761 - 6675.5) / 4075 = -0.47
Question 2
You run gradient descent for 15 iterations with α=0.3 and compute J(θ) after each
iteration. You find that the value of J(θ) decreases quickly then levels off. Based on this,
which of the following conclusions seems most plausible?
Rather than use the current value of α, it'd be more promising to try a larger
value of α (say α=1.0).
Rather than use the current value of α, it'd be more promising to try a smaller
value of α (say α=0.1).
α=0.3 is an effective choice of learning rate.
Answer:
Answer Explanation
α=0.3 is an effective choice of We want gradient descent to quickly converge to the minimum
learning rate. of α seems to be good
Question 3
Suppose you have m=14 training examples with n=3 features (excluding the additional
all-ones feature for the intercept term, which you should add). The normal equation is
θ=(XTX)−1XTy. For the given values of m and n, what are the dimensions of θ, X, and y in
this equation?
X is 14×3, y is 14×1, θ is 3×3
X is 14×4, y is 14×4, θ is 4×4
X is 14×4, y is 14×1, θ is 4×1
X is 14×3, y is 14×1, θ is 3×1
Answer Explanation
X is 14×4, y is 14×1, θ is X has m rows and n + 1 columns (+1 because of the x 0=1 term. y is an
Answer Explanation
4×1 vector.
Question 4
Suppose you have a dataset with m=50 examples and n=200000 features for each
example. You want to use multivariate linear regression to fit the parameters θ to our
data. Should you prefer gradient descent or the normal equation?
Gradient descent, since (XTX)−1 will be very slow to compute in the normal
equation.
Gradient descent, since it will always converge to the optimal θ.
The normal equation, since it provides an efficient way to directly find the
solution.
The normal equation, since gradient descent might be unable to find the optimal
θ.
Answer Explanation
Gradient descent, since (XTX)−1 will be With n = 200000 features, you have to invert a 200001 x 200
very slow to compute in the normal the normal equation. Inverting such a large matrix is comput
equation. gradient descent is a good choice.
Question 5
Which of the following are reasons for using feature scaling?
It speeds up solving for θ using the normal equation.
It prevents the matrix XTX (used in the normal equation) from being non-
invertable (singular/degenerate).
It is necessary to prevent gradient descent from getting stuck in local optima.
It speeds up gradient descent by making it require fewer iterations to get to a
good solution.
True or
Statement Explanation
False
It speeds up solving for θ using the normal The magnitude of the feature values
False
equation. of computational cost.
It prevents the matrix XTX (used in the normal
False equation) from being non-invertable none
(singular/degenerate).
It is necessary to prevent gradient descent from The cost function J(θ) for linear regre
False
getting stuck in local optima. optima.
It speeds up gradient descent by making it Feature scaling speeds up gradient d
True require fewer iterations to get to a good extra iterations that are required whe
solution. take on much larger values than the r
