In discriminant analysis, with M groups and p predictor variables, the number of discriminant functions is given by
A)m-1, p-1)
B)m-1, p)
C)m, p-1)
D)m, p)

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The number of discriminant functions is determined by the minimum of two values: the number of groups minus one (M-1) and the number of predictor variables (p). However, the correct notation for the choice that represents this concept is simply "m-1" without specifying the relationship to "p", as the number of functions is not directly a function of "p". The correct choice should indicate that the maximum number of discriminant functions is "m-1", where "m" is the number of groups. The inclusion of "p" in the choice might be misleading, as it suggests a direct dependency of the number of discriminant functions on "p", which is not accurate in the context of the question as it was aiming to test the understanding of the relationship between the number of groups and the number of discriminant functions. Therefore, the correct answer reflects the principle that the number of discriminant functions is limited by the number of groups minus one, but the explanation needed clarification regarding the role of "p".

In Discriminant Analysis, with M Groups and P Predictor Variables