Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-900) Practice Exam

What type of analysis helps in categorizing data into predefined groups?

1. Clustering

2. Classification

3. Regression

4. Association

The correct answer is: Classification

The analysis that assists in categorizing data into predefined groups is classification. This technique is used in supervised machine learning where the model learns from labeled training data. Each piece of training data is associated with a specific category or label, enabling the model to understand the characteristics that define each category. Classification is particularly beneficial for tasks like spam detection in emails, where emails are categorized as "spam" or "not spam," or in medical diagnosis, where patient data is classified into disease categories based on certain symptoms and test results. In contrast, clustering is an unsupervised technique that groups data points based on their similarities but does not rely on predefined categories. Regression focuses on predicting continuous values based on input features rather than categorizing them. Association analysis identifies relationships between variables or items in large datasets, like market basket analysis, without assigning elements to predefined groups. Therefore, classification is the most appropriate method for the stated task of categorizing data into established groups.