An introduction to one of the the most basic structures used in machine learning: a tensor.

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Tensors are the data structure used by machine learning systems, and getting to know them is an essential skill you should build early on.

A tensor is a container for numerical data. It is the way we store the information that we'll use within our system.

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Three primary attributes define a tensor:

▫️ Its rank
▫️ Its shape
▫️ Its data type

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The rank of a tensor refers to the tensor's number of axes.

Examples:

▫️ The rank of a matrix is 2 because it has two axes.
▫️ The rank of a vector is 1 because it has a single axis.

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The shape of a tensor describes the number of dimensions along each axis.

Example:

▫️ A square matrix may have (3, 3) dimensions.
▫️ A tensor of rank 3 may have (2, 5, 7) dimensions.

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The data type of a tensor refers to the type of data contained in it.

For example, when thinking about Python 🐍's numpy library, here are some of the supported data types:

▫️ float32
▫️ float64
▫️ uint8
▫️ int32
▫️ int64

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In the previous tweets I used the terms "vector" and "matrix," to referr to tensors with a specific rank (1 and 2 respectively.)

We can also use these mathematical concepts when describing tensors.

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A scalar —or a 0D tensor— has rank 0 and contains a single number. These are also called "0-dimensional tensors."

The attached image shows how to construct a 0D tensor using numpy. Notice its shape and its rank (.ndim attribute.)

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A vector —or a 1D tensor— has rank 1 and represents an array of numbers.

The attached image shows a vector with shape (4, ). Notice how its rank (.ndim attribute) is 1.

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A matrix —or a 2D tensor— has rank 2 and represents an array of vectors. The two axes of a matrix are usually referred to as "rows" and "columns."

The attached image shows a matrix with shape (3, 4).

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You can obtain higher-dimensional tensors (3D, 4D, etc.) by packing lower-dimensional tensors in an array.

For example, packing a 2D tensor in an array gives us a 3D tensor. Packing this one in another array gives us a 4D tensor, and so on.

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Here are some common tensor representations:

▫️ Vectors: 1D - (features)
▫️ Sequences: 2D - (timesteps, features)
▫️ Images: 3D - (height, width, channels)
▫️ Videos: 4D - (frames, height, width, channels)

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Commonly, machine learning algorithms deal with a subset of data at a time (called "batches.")

When using a batch of data, the tensor's first axis is reserved for the size of the batch (number of samples.)

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For example, if your handling 2D tensors (matrices), a batch of them will have a total of 3 dimensions:

▫️ (samples, rows, columns)

Notice how the first axis is the number of matrices that we have in our batch.

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Following the same logic, a batch of images can be represented as a 4D tensor:

▫️ (samples, height, width, channels)

And a batch of videos as a 5D tensor:

▫️ (samples, frames, height, width, channels)

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If all of this makes sense, you are on your way! If something doesn't click, reply with your question, and I'll try to answer.

Either way, make sure to follow me for more machine learning content! 2021 is going to be great!

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More from Santiago

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Thanks for this incredibly helpful analysis @dgurdasani1

Two questions. 1/ Does this summarise the AZ published data :
The plan is to extend the time interval for all age groups despite it being largely untested on the over 55yrs, although the full data is not yet published


Do we have the actual numbers of over 55yr olds given a 2nd dose at c12 weeks and the accompanying efficacy data?

Not to mention the efficacy data of the full first dose over that same period?

I’d quite like to know whether I am to be a guinea pig & the ongoing risks to manage

You attached photos of excerpts from a paper. Could you attach the link?

Re Pfizer. As I understand it the most efficacious interval for dosing was investigated at the start of the trial.


Here’s the link to the

I’ve got to say that this way of making and announcing decisions is not inspiring confidence in me and I am very pro vaccination as a matter of principle, not least because my brother caught polio before vaccinations available.

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1/“What would need to be true for you to….X”

Why is this the most powerful question you can ask when attempting to reach an agreement with another human being or organization?

A thread, co-written by @deanmbrody:


2/ First, “X” could be lots of things. Examples: What would need to be true for you to

- “Feel it's in our best interest for me to be CMO"
- “Feel that we’re in a good place as a company”
- “Feel that we’re on the same page”
- “Feel that we both got what we wanted from this deal

3/ Normally, we aren’t that direct. Example from startup/VC land:

Founders leave VC meetings thinking that every VC will invest, but they rarely do.

Worse over, the founders don’t know what they need to do in order to be fundable.

4/ So why should you ask the magic Q?

To get clarity.

You want to know where you stand, and what it takes to get what you want in a way that also gets them what they want.

It also holds them (mentally) accountable once the thing they need becomes true.

5/ Staying in the context of soliciting investors, the question is “what would need to be true for you to want to invest (or partner with us on this journey, etc)?”

Multiple responses to this question are likely to deliver a positive result.