Fractal Dimension

What Does Fractal Dimension Mean?

A fractal dimension is a ratio for figuring out the complexity of a system given its measurement. Fractal dimensions can be useful in machine learning (ML) as part of dimensionality reduction, in order to change how machine learning systems deal with data.

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Techopedia Explains Fractal Dimension

As ratios of a figure's complexity at scale, fractal dimensions are helpful tools for some kinds of technical evaluations. For example, fractal dimension is often used in dimensionality reduction, which is a problem in ML that is based on a kind of simplification of data set analysis – the system can produce a different model given a lower number of parameters. Feature selection and feature extraction are two techniques for implementing dimensionality reduction, which changes the model according to the user’s needs. The fractal dimension is a statistic that can have a bearing on how these methods are applied.

In general, fractal dimensions help to show how scaling changes a model or modeled object. For example, take a very complex shape, graphed to a scale, and then reduce the scale. The data points converge and become fewer. This is the kind of work that can be measured and judged with fractal dimensions.

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Margaret Rouse

Margaret Rouse is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical, business audience. Over the past twenty years her explanations have appeared on TechTarget websites and she's been cited as an authority in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine and Discovery Magazine.Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages. If you have a suggestion for a new definition or how to improve a technical explanation, please email Margaret or contact her…