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GATE 2024 DA Q.53: solution and answer

GATE 2024 · DAQ.53 · 2 marks · MSQ

Consider the following figures representing datasets consisting of two-dimensional features with two classes denoted by circles and squares. Which of the following is/are TRUE?

GATE 2024 DA question 53: Four panels, each a 2-D scatter on axes with ticks 1, 2, 3 (both axes).Tap to open full size
Figure from the GATE 2024 DA paper. It is part of the question.
Figure description

Four panels, each a 2-D scatter on axes with ticks 1, 2, 3 (both axes). Panel (i): circles at (1,3), (2,3), (1,2); squares at (2,1), (3,1) and (2, about 0.3) just below the x=2, y=1 square. Panel (ii): circle at (2,2); squares at (1,2), (3,2), (2,3), (2,1) forming a diamond around the circle. Panel (iii): squares at (1,3) and (3,1); circles at (3,3) and (1,1) (an XOR layout). Panel (iv): squares at (1, about 2.2), (2, about 2.6), (1, about 1.2); circles at (3, about 1.5), (3, about 0.5), (2, about 0.4).

  1. (A)

    (i) is linearly separable.

  2. (B)

    (ii) is linearly separable.

  3. (C)

    (iii) is linearly separable.

  4. (D)

    (iv) is linearly separable.

Answer and solution

ANSWER

Options A and D are true: panels (i) and (iv) are linearly separable, while (ii) and (iii) are not.

Official answer: A, DSource: Official answer key, GATE 2024 DA (IISc Bengaluru)

  1. Linear separability means one straight line (a hyperplane in 2-D) puts every circle on one side and every square on the other. Check each panel in turn.

  2. (i) The circles are at , all with . The squares are at , all with . The horizontal line separates them, so (i) is linearly separable.

  3. (ii) The circle at is the centre of the four squares . It is the midpoint of the squares and , so it lies in the convex hull of the squares. A line with all squares on one side puts their whole hull, and so the circle, on that side too. So (ii) is not linearly separable.

  4. (iii) This is the XOR layout. The squares are at and the circles at . The segment joining the two squares and the segment joining the two circles both have midpoint , so they cross and the convex hulls intersect. So (iii) is not linearly separable.

  5. (iv) The squares are at and the circles at . Take the line . At its heights are , and the squares' heights are all above these. At its heights are , and the circles' heights are all below these. The classes are separated, so (iv) is linearly separable.

  6. True statements: (i) and (iv), so options A and D.

KEY IDEA

Two classes in the plane are linearly separable exactly when their convex hulls do not intersect. A point inside the other class's hull (panel ii) or crossing diagonals (the XOR layout, panel iii) rule out separation, and one explicit separating line proves it.

WATCH OUT FOR

Judging panel (iv) by eye from its tilted layout and calling it inseparable. Because the points are not on a grid, a slanted line is needed, and one such line separates the classes. The other slip is treating the XOR layout as separable because each class is symmetric.

From the GATE 2024 DA paper. Every question of this paper · Download the full paper · All 7 LDA, SVM & trees questions, with notes

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