# Here we discuss least-squares fitting of some given data. # # First, lets type in our data to fit > pts := [ [0,0.25], [1/2,2], [1,4], [5,8], [6,10] ]; pts := [[0, .25], [1/2, 2], [1, 4], [5, 8], [6, 10]] > plot(pts,style=point, axes=boxed); ** Maple V Graphics ** # We could use maple's built-in regression package to find the answer, but that wouldn't help much in explaining what's going on. # Let's do it anyway, though. # # Note that the least-squares package wants the x values and y values in separate lists, so we have to adjust them a bit. > with(stats):\ fit[leastsquare[[x,y]]]([[ pts[i][1] $ i=1..5 ], [pts[i][2] $i=1..5]]); y = 1.271370968 + 1.431451613 x # # Let's do the same thing ourselves, "by hand". # # First, lets define the "error functional" which gives us the distance from a line (actually, its coefficients) to the data. > F := (m,b) -> sum( ( (m*pts[i][1] + b) - pts[i][2] ) ^2, \ i=1..5); 5 ----- \ 2 F := (m,b) -> ) (m pts[i][1] + b - pts[i][2]) / ----- i = 1 # # For example, if we guessed that the line was y= 2x + 1, we could compute its distance: > F(2,1); 19.5625 # but we see that decreasing the slope and increasing the intercept gives a better fit: > F(1.5,1.2); 3.125000000 # Now we want to minimize this quantity. Note that maple will happily compute the partial derivatives for us. > diff ( F(m,b), m); 249/2 m + 25 b - 210 # # So, we can ask maple to solve, setting each of the partials to 0. > solve( { diff ( F(m,b), m)=0 , diff ( F(m,b), b) = 0},\ {m, b} ); {b = 1.271370968, m = 1.431451613} # Not surprisingly, this was the same solution we got before. If we now want to use THIS value of m and b without retyping it, we can # use maple's assign command to let b and m be constants with the values given. > assign("); # Maple just does the assignment, but doesn't say anything... # "When I have nothing to say, my lips are sealed. Say something once, why say it again?" # # But, m and b are now constants, with values of about 1.43 and 1.27, respectively. > m; 1.431451613 # If we want, we can compute the distance of this line to the points... > F(m, b); 2.929334677 # # To get an idea of how good our fit is, we can make a plot with the data points and the line on the same graph. # We first need to load the 'plots' package, so we can use 'display'. > with(plots): # # We can now compute both plots, and use display to show them together. Note that we use a : to supress the output of the plot calls. > lplot := plot(m*x+ b, x=-1..6.5, axes=boxed):\ pplot:= plot(pts, style=point):\ display({lplot, pplot}); ** Maple V Graphics ** # # # One minor point: # Since we defined 'm' and 'b' to be constants, we can no longer treat them as variables. For example, the statement we used before # to compute the derivative of F with respect to m no longer works, since it is asking maple to compute the derivative of 2.929334677 # with respect to 1.431451613. This, of course, makes no sense. > diff(F(m,b),m); Error, wrong number (or type) of parameters in function diff # Of course, we can do this by substituting in other variables > diff(F(n,c),n); 249/2 n + 25 c - 210 # Alternatively, we can tell maple to "forget" the previous definitions of m and b: > m:='m';\ b:='b'; m := m b := b > diff(F(m,b),m); 249/2 m + 25 b - 210