Learn ML Algorithms by Doing
This comprehensive exercise book transforms machine learning theory into practice. Rather than passively reading about algorithms, you'll work through carefully designed problems that build understanding from first principles.
What You'll Get
Worked Examples Every section begins with fully solved problems that walk you through algorithm mechanics step-by-step. See exactly how to:
- Calculate probabilities with logistic regression
- Build decision trees using information gain
- Perform K-means clustering by hand
- Propagate errors through neural networks
- And much more...
Progressive Practice Exercises Problems are organized by difficulty:
- ⋆ Basic: Test fundamental understanding
- ⋆⋆ Intermediate: Combine multiple concepts
- ⋆⋆⋆ Advanced: Deep dive into algorithm internals
Real-World Applications Exercises drawn from actual use cases:
- Medical diagnosis systems with asymmetric costs
- Feature selection for high-dimensional data
- Imbalanced classification in practice
- Model deployment considerations
- Cross-validation strategies
Mathematical Rigor Detailed derivations and formula explanations ensure you understand the "why" behind each algorithm, not just the "how."
Topics Covered
- Classification: Logistic regression, decision trees, random forests, SVMs
- Regression: Linear regression, ridge/lasso regularization, polynomial fitting, evaluation metrics
- Clustering: K-means, hierarchical clustering
- Dimensionality Reduction: PCA, t-SNE, UMAP, feature selection
- Evaluation: Classification metrics, ROC curves, cost-sensitive learning
- Neural Networks: Forward propagation, backpropagation, activation functions
- Advanced Topics: Ensemble methods, imbalanced data handling, cross-validation, model deployment
Who Should Read This?
- Students learning machine learning fundamentals
- Data Scientists looking to deepen algorithm understanding
- Practitioners preparing for technical interviews
- Researchers needing mathematical details and implementation insights
- Self-taught developers wanting to master core concepts
How to Use This Book
- Start with Worked Examples: Fully solved problems show you the process
- Attempt Practice Exercises: Try solving independently before checking answers
- Use Hints Strategically: Get unstuck without spoiling the learning
- Check Understanding: Detailed explanations ensure comprehension
- Progress Gradually: Build confidence through increasing difficulty
Companion to the Complete Guide
This exercise book is designed as a practical complement to the Complete Machine Learning Algorithms Reference Guide. Together, they provide:
- Theoretical foundations in the reference guide
- Hands-on practice through worked examples and exercises
However, each book can be used independently—this exercise book contains all the context needed to solve problems successfully.
What Makes This Different?
- Author-created: Personally structured outline, verified technical accuracy, edited for clarity
- Mathematically detailed: Full derivations, not just formulas
- Pedagogically sound: Progressive difficulty, hints without spoilers, multiple solution approaches
- Practical focus: Real-world context, hyperparameter guidance, implementation tips
- Comprehensive coverage: 9 chapters spanning classical to modern algorithms
Inside You'll Find
- 30+ worked examples with complete solutions
- 100+ practice problems across all difficulty levels
- Step-by-step derivations (including gradient descent, backpropagation, and more)
- Confusion matrices, ROC curves, and evaluation metrics worked out by hand
- Cost-sensitive thresholds and optimal decision-making
- Feature selection comparison with real datasets
- Neural network forward and backward passes traced completely
- Ensemble methods and stacking implementations
Learning Outcomes
After working through this book, you'll be able to:
- Calculate algorithm outputs by hand (proving deep understanding)
- Know when to apply each algorithm and why
- Tune hyperparameters intelligently
- Handle imbalanced data and asymmetric costs
- Evaluate models using appropriate metrics
- Deploy models considering practical constraints
- Derive algorithm updates from first principles
- Combine multiple algorithms effectively
Format
This is a living book on Leanpub—updated regularly as new content is added and based on reader feedback. Your purchase includes all future updates at no additional cost.
Start Your ML Mastery Journey Today
Don't just memorize algorithms—truly understand them. Grab your copy and start working through problems that build real expertise.
Companion to: Complete Machine Learning Algorithms Reference Guide
Updated: February 2026
