Degree Name
MS (Master of Science)
Program
Mathematical Sciences
Date of Award
8-2018
Committee Chair or Co-Chairs
JeanMarie Hendrickson
Committee Members
Robert M Price Jr., Nicole Lewis
Abstract
Sorting out data into partitions is increasing becoming complex as the constituents of data is growing outward everyday. Mixed data comprises continuous, categorical, directional functional and other types of variables. Clustering mixed data is based on special dissimilarities of the variables. Some data types may influence the clustering solution. Assigning appropriate weight to the functional data may improve the performance of the clustering algorithm. In this paper we use the extension of the Gower coefficient with judciously chosen weight for the L2 to cluster mixed data.The benefits of weighting are demonstrated both in in applications to the Buoy data set as well simulation studies. Our studies show that clustering algorithms with application of proper weight give superior recovery level when a set of data with mixed continuous, categorical directional and functional attributes is clustered. We discuss open problems for future research in clustering mixed data.
Document Type
Thesis - unrestricted
Recommended Citation
Oppong, Augustine, "Clustering Mixed Data: An Extension of the Gower Coefficient with Weighted L2 Distance" (2018). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 3463. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/3463
Copyright
Copyright by the authors.