AI engineering glossary · Classical ML algorithms
What is polynomial regression?
Polynomial regression: Fitting a curve by adding powers of a feature (x^2, x^3, ...) as extra columns and then running a straight-line fit on them. The model is still linear in its weights, yet it can bend to match curved relationships. High degrees tend to wiggle wildly and memorise noise.
Polynomial regression: an example
Fitting y = 2 + 0.5x + 0.1x^2 to stopping distance versus speed of a two-wheeler captures the fact that braking distance grows faster than speed.
Related terms
More Classical ML algorithms terms
- Principal component
- Principal component analysis
- Quadratic discriminant analysis
- Random forest
- RBF kernel
- Regression tree
- Residual
- Ridge regression
Where you learn it
Polynomial regression is part of the AI Engineering Program, which teaches it with notes, a hands-on lab and an exam. The first lesson is free.