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Mathematics

Some math topics with relation to ML

3-dim projections of 4-dim MVN

Covariance matrix of a cut-off Multivariate Normal Distribution – II – integrals over volume and surface of an n-dimensional sphere

In the 1st post of this series, we have posed the following problem: Take the probability density of a Multivariate Normal Distribution [MVN], but set it to zero at Mahalanobis distances bigger than a finite value D. Can we derive the covariance matrix of the MVN from information about the data point distribution inside the n-dimensional ellipsoidal volume D, only?… Read More »Covariance matrix of a cut-off Multivariate Normal Distribution – II – integrals over volume and surface of an n-dimensional sphere

Cut-off BVN limited to an ellipsoidal core

Covariance matrix of a cut-off Multivariate Normal Distribution – I – intricate integrals with exponentials over the volumes and surfaces of n-dimensional ellipsoids?

In Machine Learning and statistics one sometimes has to work with a data sample whose underlying probability distribution approximates a Multivariate Normal Distribution [MVN] – but only within the ellipsoidal region of an innermost core with limited extensions. I.e., we have a MVN which either is abruptly cut off at some finite Mahalanobis distance D, or which quickly changes into… Read More »Covariance matrix of a cut-off Multivariate Normal Distribution – I – intricate integrals with exponentials over the volumes and surfaces of n-dimensional ellipsoids?

Iterative method to compute the covariance-matrix of normal MVN-like inner cores of multivariate distributions with strongly asymmetric outer layers – I

In other posts in this blog (see [1] to [3]), I have discussed multiple methods to calculate and construct confidence ellipses of “Bivariate Normal Distributions” [BVNs]. BVNs are the marginal distributions of “Multivariate Normal Distributions” [MVNs] in e.g. n dimensions ( n > 2). Therefore, two-dimensional confidence ellipses appear as projections of n-dimensional concentric confidence ellipsoids of MVNs onto (2-dim) coordinate planes. The properties of the confidence ellipsoids, which also give us contours of the probability density, are defined by the variance-covariance matrix Σ of the MVN. This post discusses a method to compute the confidence ellipsoids and ellipses for an inner MVN-like core of an otherwise largely asymmetric distribution, which in its overall shape and structure deviates strongly from a MVN.

Read More »Iterative method to compute the covariance-matrix of normal MVN-like inner cores of multivariate distributions with strongly asymmetric outer layers – I

How to compute confidence ellipses – III – 4 alternative construction methods

In previous mathematical posts of this blog, we have studied some core properties of Bivariate Normal Distributions [BVDs]. During the rather mathematical tour de force we have come across various methods to construct and plot confidence ellipses for a given confidence level and respective Mahalanobis distance from the distribution’s center. We have also covered the mathematical derivation of the methods.… Read More »How to compute confidence ellipses – III – 4 alternative construction methods