What does "Agglomerative" mean?
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Agglomerative clustering is a method used to group similar items into clusters. It starts with each item as its own group and then repeatedly merges the closest pairs of groups until all items belong to a single group.
How It Works
- Start Small: Each item begins in its own group.
- Find Nearest Groups: Identify the two groups that are closest to each other based on their similarities.
- Merge Groups: Combine the nearest groups into one larger group.
- Repeat: Continue finding and merging the closest groups until only one group remains.
Importance of Cohesion and Separability
In agglomerative clustering, cohesion means that items within the same group are similar to each other. Separability refers to how distinct the groups are from one another. A good clustering method maximizes cohesion while ensuring that different groups are clearly separated.
Applications
Agglomerative clustering is useful in various fields like marketing, biology, and social sciences. It helps organizations understand patterns in data, such as customer segments or species relationships.
Conclusion
This clustering technique is valued for its simplicity and effectiveness in organizing data into meaningful groups.