Week 7

1. What is the primary purpose of using a decision tree in regression tasks

within big data environments?

A) To classify data into distinct categories

B) To predict continuous values based on input features
C) To reduce the dimensionality of the dataset
D) To perform clustering of similar data points

Answer:

A) To classify data into distinct categories:

● Incorrect: This is the primary purpose of decision trees in classification tasks,

not regression. Classification involves predicting discrete labels or categories
rather than continuous values.

B) To predict continuous values based on input features:

● Correct- Primary Purpose in Regression Tasks: In regression tasks, a

decision tree is used to predict continuous values (e.g., predicting house prices,
stock prices, etc.) based on input features. The decision tree splits the data into
different branches based on feature values, aiming to minimize the variance
within each branch to make accurate predictions for continuous outcomes.

C) To reduce the dimensionality of the dataset:

● Incorrect: Dimensionality reduction is typically performed by techniques like

Principal Component Analysis (PCA), not decision trees. Decision trees do not
inherently reduce the number of features but rather use them to make
predictions.

D) To perform clustering of similar data points:

● Incorrect: Clustering is a technique used to group similar data points together

and is typically performed by algorithms such as K-means or hierarchical
clustering. Decision trees are not used for clustering tasks.
2.Which statement accurately explains the function of bootstrapping within the
random forest algorithm?

A) Bootstrapping creates additional features to augment the dataset for improved

random forest performance.
B) Bootstrapping is not used in the random forest algorithm, it is only employed in
decision tree construction.
C) Bootstrapping produces replicas of the dataset by random sampling with
replacement, which is essential for the random forest algorithm.
D) Bootstrapping generates replicas of the dataset without replacement, ensuring
diversity in the random forest.

Answer:

A) Incorrect - Bootstrapping creates additional features: This is not the purpose

of bootstrapping.
B) Incorrect - Bootstrapping is not used in random forest: Bootstrapping is a
fundamental component of the random forest algorithm.
C) correct - Bootstrapping produces replicas of the dataset by random sampling
with replacement, which is essential for the random forest algorithm.

Explain:In the Random Forest algorithm, bootstrapping involves creating multiple

subsets of the original dataset by randomly sampling with replacement. Each
decision tree in the Random Forest is trained on a different bootstrapped subset
of the data. This technique helps to introduce variability among the individual
trees, which contributes to the overall robustness and generalization of the
Random Forest model.

D) Incorrect - Bootstrapping generates replicas without replacement: This

would not introduce diversity and might lead to biased models.
3. In a big data scenario using MapReduce, how is the decision tree model
typically built?

A) By using a single-node system to fit the model

B) By distributing the data and computations across multiple nodes for parallel
processing
C) By manually sorting data before applying decision tree algorithms
D) By using in-memory processing on a single machine

Answer:

A) By using a single-node system to fit the model:

● Incorrect: Using a single-node system is not suitable for big data scenarios
because it does not scale well with large datasets. MapReduce is specifically
designed to work with distributed systems to handle large-scale data processing.

B) By distributing the data and computations across multiple nodes for parallel
processing:

● Correct: In a big data scenario using MapReduce, building a decision tree model
involves distributing the data and computations across multiple nodes to leverage
parallel processing. This approach allows for efficient handling of large datasets
by dividing the work among several nodes in a cluster. Each node processes a
portion of the data, and the results are aggregated to construct the final decision
tree model.

C) By manually sorting data before applying decision tree algorithms:

● Incorrect: Manual sorting of data is not a typical requirement for decision tree
algorithms in a MapReduce framework. MapReduce handles data partitioning
and sorting automatically during the Map and Reduce phases.

D) By using in-memory processing on a single machine:

● Incorrect: In-memory processing on a single machine is not practical for big data
scenarios due to memory limitations and scalability issues. MapReduce
processes data distributed across multiple nodes, which is essential for handling
large datasets effectively.
4. In Apache Spark, what is the primary purpose of using cross-validation in
machine learning pipelines?

A) To reduce the number of features used in the model

B) To evaluate the model's performance by partitioning the data into training and
validation sets multiple times
C) To speed up the data preprocessing phase
D) To increase the size of the training dataset by generating synthetic samples

Answer:

A) To reduce the number of features used in the model:

● Incorrect: Reducing the number of features is related to feature selection or

dimensionality reduction techniques, such as Principal Component Analysis
(PCA) or feature importance measures, rather than model evaluation.

B) Correct - To evaluate the model's performance by partitioning the data into

training and validation sets multiple times:

● Explanation: This describes the process of cross-validation. Cross-validation

is a technique used to evaluate a model's performance by partitioning the dataset
into multiple subsets (or folds). The model is trained on some of these subsets
and validated on the remaining ones. This process is repeated multiple times,
each time with different subsets as the training and validation sets. This
approach helps in assessing the model's performance more robustly and in
mitigating issues related to overfitting or variability in the performance due to a
single train-test split.

C) To speed up the data preprocessing phase:

● Incorrect: Techniques to speed up data preprocessing include data sampling,

efficient algorithms, or parallel processing, but these are not directly related to
model evaluation.

D) To increase the size of the training dataset by generating synthetic samples:

● Incorrect: This describes data augmentation or synthetic data generation,

such as using techniques like SMOTE (Synthetic Minority Over-sampling
 Technique) to balance datasets. It is not specifically about evaluating model
performance through multiple partitions.

5. How does gradient boosting in machine learning conceptually resemble

gradient descent in optimization theory?

A) Both techniques use large step sizes to quickly converge to a minimum

B) Both methods involve iteratively adjusting model parameters based on the gradient
to minimize a loss function
C) Both methods rely on random sampling to update the model
D) Both techniques use a fixed learning rate to ensure convergence without overfitting

Answer:

A) Both techniques use large step sizes to quickly converge to a minimum:

● Incorrect: Gradient boosting and gradient descent do not necessarily use large
step sizes. In fact, gradient boosting typically uses a smaller learning rate (step
size) to ensure that the model converges slowly and avoids overfitting. Gradient
descent can also use various step sizes, which are often tuned to balance
convergence speed and stability.

B) Both methods involve iteratively adjusting model parameters based on the

gradient to minimize a loss function:

Correct: Gradient boosting and gradient descent both use the concept of gradients to
iteratively improve a model. In gradient boosting, new trees are added to the ensemble
in a way that corrects the residual errors of the existing model, effectively adjusting the
model to minimize the loss function. Each new tree is built to fit the negative gradient of
the loss function, which is akin to taking steps in the direction of the steepest descent to
reduce the overall error. Similarly, in gradient descent, the algorithm iteratively adjusts
the parameters of a model by moving in the direction of the gradient of the loss function
to find the minimum value.

C) Both methods rely on random sampling to update the model:

● Incorrect: Gradient boosting does not inherently rely on random sampling for
updating the model; it builds trees sequentially to correct residuals. Gradient
descent may involve stochastic or mini-batch sampling in its variants (such as
stochastic gradient descent or mini-batch gradient descent), but this is not a
direct conceptual similarity to gradient boosting.
D) Both techniques use a fixed learning rate to ensure convergence without
overfitting:

● Incorrect: While gradient descent may use a fixed learning rate, gradient
boosting typically uses a smaller learning rate as a regularization strategy to
ensure gradual convergence and reduce the risk of overfitting. The learning rate
is not fixed in the same sense for both methods; it is adjusted based on the
context and specific implementation details.

6. Which statement accurately describes one of the benefits of decision trees?

A) Decision trees always outperform other models in predictive accuracy, regardless of

the complexity of the dataset.
B) Decision trees can automatically handle feature interactions by combining different
features within a single tree, but a single tree’s predictive power is often limited.
C) Decision trees cannot handle large datasets and are not computationally scalable.
D) Decision trees require a fixed set of features and cannot adapt to new feature
interactions during training.

Answer:

A) Decision trees always outperform other models in predictive accuracy,

regardless of the complexity of the dataset:

● Incorrect: Decision trees do not always outperform other models. Their

performance can vary based on the complexity of the dataset and other factors.
They are prone to overfitting, particularly with complex datasets, and may not
always provide the best predictive accuracy compared to other models like
ensemble methods or neural networks.

B) Decision trees can automatically handle feature interactions by combining

different features within a single tree, but a single tree’s predictive power is often
limited:

● Correct: Decision trees can indeed handle feature interactions automatically by

splitting on different features at each node. This allows them to model complex
relationships between features within the dataset. However, a single decision
tree might not always have the predictive power or generalization capability,
especially on its own, which is why ensemble methods like Random Forests or
Gradient Boosting are often used to improve performance.
C) Decision trees cannot handle large datasets and are not computationally
scalable:

● Incorrect: Decision trees can handle large datasets, but the computational
resources and time required may increase with the size of the dataset. While
they can be computationally intensive for very large datasets, they are scalable,
and there are techniques and implementations designed to handle large-scale
data.

D) Decision trees require a fixed set of features and cannot adapt to new feature
interactions during training:

● Incorrect: Decision trees do not require a fixed set of features. They can adapt
to new feature interactions dynamically as they grow. The structure of a decision
tree is built by evaluating all available features to find the best splits at each
node.

7. What has driven the development of specialized graph computation engines

capable of inferring complex recursive properties of graph structured data?

A) Increasing demand for social media analytics

B) Advances in machine learning algorithms
C) Growing scale and importance of graph data
D) Expansion of blockchain technology

Answer:

Social Media Analytics (A): Incorrect: Social media analysis is a significant driver for
graph technology adoption, but it's a specific application area benefiting from the
capabilities of graph engines.

Machine Learning (B): Incorrect: Machine learning algorithms can benefit from graph
data and graph computations, but the development of graph engines is not solely driven
by advancements in machine learning.

(C) Graph-Structured Data: Correct:Many real-world relationships can be naturally

modeled as graphs, where nodes represent entities (e.g., people, products) and edges
represent connections between them (e.g., friendships, purchases).
Growing Scale: The amount of graph data is exploding due to social networks,
recommendation systems, sensor networks, and other applications. Traditional
relational databases struggle to handle the complexity and interconnectedness of graph
data.

Blockchain (D): Incorrect: Blockchain technology utilizes some graph-like structures,

but it's not the primary driver for the development of general-purpose graph computation
engines.

8. Which of these statements accurately describes bagging in the context of

understanding the random forest algorithm?

a) Bagging is primarily used to average predictions of decision trees in the

random forest algorithm.

b) Bagging is a technique exclusively designed for reducing the bias in

predictions made by decision trees.

c) Bagging, short for Bootstrap Aggregation, is a general method for averaging

predictions of various algorithms, not limited to decision trees, and it works by
reducing the variance of predictions.

d) Bagging is a method specifically tailored for improving the interpretability of

decision trees in the random forest algorithm.

Answer:

a) Incorrect - Bagging is primarily used to average predictions of decision trees in

the random forest algorithm.

● This is partially true but not entirely accurate. Bagging is used to reduce variance
by averaging predictions, but it is a more general technique that can be applied
to various models, not just decision trees.

b ) Incorrect - Bagging is a technique exclusively designed for reducing the bias

in predictions made by decision trees.

● This is incorrect. Bagging primarily aims to reduce variance rather than bias. In
fact, while bagging can indirectly help reduce bias in some cases, its main benefit
is in reducing the model's variance.
c) Correct - Bagging, short for Bootstrap Aggregation, is a general method for
averaging predictions of various algorithms, not limited to decision trees, and it
works by reducing the variance of predictions.

Explanation:

● Bagging (Bootstrap Aggregation) is indeed a technique designed to improve

the stability and accuracy of machine learning algorithms by reducing variance. It
involves generating multiple subsets of the data (through bootstrapping) and then
training a separate model on each subset. The final prediction is typically an
average (for regression) or a majority vote (for classification) of the predictions
from each model. This method can be applied to various algorithms, not just
decision trees, although it is particularly effective with high-variance models like
decision trees.

d) Incorrect - Bagging is a method specifically tailored for improving the

interpretability of decision trees in the random forest algorithm.

● This is incorrect. Bagging is not focused on improving interpretability but rather

on improving the overall performance and stability of the model by reducing
variance.

9.What is a key advantage of using regression trees in a big data environment

when combined with MapReduce?

A) They require less computational power compared to other algorithms

B) They can handle both classification and regression tasks effectively
C) They automatically handle large-scale datasets by leveraging distributed processing
D) They eliminate the need for data preprocessing

Answer:

A) Incorrect - They require less computational power compared to other

algorithms: While decision trees can be computationally efficient, they still require
significant computational power for large-scale datasets.

B) Incorrect - They can handle both classification and regression tasks

effectively: This is true, but it's not the primary advantage of using decision trees with
MapReduce in a big data environment.
C) Correct - They automatically handle large-scale datasets by leveraging
distributed processing is the key advantage of using regression trees in a big data
environment when combined with MapReduce.

D) Incorrect - They eliminate the need for data preprocessing: Decision trees still
require data preprocessing, such as handling missing values and feature scaling.

10. When implementing a regression decision tree using MapReduce, which

technique helps in managing the data that needs to be split across different
nodes?

A) Feature scaling
B) Data shuffling
C) Data partitioning
D) Model pruning

Answer:

A) Incorrect - Feature scaling: Feature scaling is used to normalize numerical

features to a common range, which is important for many machine learning algorithms
but not directly related to data partitioning in MapReduce.

B) Incorrect - Data shuffling: Data shuffling is the process of redistributing

intermediate data between Map and Reduce tasks. While it's important for MapReduce
jobs, it's not specific to decision trees.

C) Correct - Data partitioning: is the technique used to manage the data that needs
to be split across different nodes in a MapReduce implementation of a regression
decision tree.

D) Incorrect - Model pruning: Model pruning is a technique used to simplify a

decision tree by removing unnecessary branches, which can improve its generalization
performance. It's not directly related to data partitioning within MapReduce.