REGRESSION ANALYSIS

In statistics, regression analysis is a statistical process for estimating the relationships among variables. It includes many techniques for modeling and analyzing several variables, when the focus is on the relationship between a dependent variable and one or more  independent variables. In regression analysis, it is also of interest to characterize the variation of the dependent variable around the regression function, which can be described by a probability distribution.

Regression analysis is widely used for prediction and forecasting, where its use has substantial overlap with the field of machine learning. Regression analysis is also used to understand which among the independent variables are related to the dependent variable, and to explore the forms of these relationships. In restricted circumstances, regression analysis can be used to infer causal relationships between the independent and dependent variables. However this can lead to illusions or false relationships, so caution is advisable;

                                                  APPLICATION OF REGRESSION

Applications of regression analysis exist in almost every field. In economics, the dependent variable might be a family's consumption expenditure and the independent variables might be the family's income, number of children in the family, and other factors that would affect the family's consumption patterns. In political science, the dependent variable might be a state's level of welfare spending and the independent variables measures of public opinion and institutional variables that would cause the state to have higher or lower levels of welfare spending. In sociology, the dependent variable might be a measure of the social status of various occupations and the independent variables characteristics of the occupations (pay, qualifications, etc.). In psychology, the dependent variable might be individual's racial tolerance as measured on a standard scale and with indicators of social background as independent variables. In education, the dependent variable might be a student's score on an achievment test and the independent variables characteristics of the student's family, teachers, or school.