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what are the activation functions, how do i deter...

Activation functions are essential for introducing non-linearity in neural networks, enabling them to learn complex patterns. Common activation functions include Sigmoid, Tanh, ReLU, Leaky ReLU, PReLU, Softmax, and Linear, each with specific use cases and advantages. Choosing the right activation function depends on the problem type, output range requirements, and considerations like the vanishing gradient problem and computational cost.

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3 views

what are the activation functions, how do i deter...

Activation functions are essential for introducing non-linearity in neural networks, enabling them to learn complex patterns. Common activation functions include Sigmoid, Tanh, ReLU, Leaky ReLU, PReLU, Softmax, and Linear, each with specific use cases and advantages. Choosing the right activation function depends on the problem type, output range requirements, and considerations like the vanishing gradient problem and computational cost.

Uploaded by

AAT Mahler
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Activation functions are a crucial component of neural networks.

1 They introduce
non-linearity to the model, allowing it to learn complex patterns in the data.2 Without
activation functions, a neural network would simply be a linear regression model,3
regardless of its depth.4

Here's a breakdown of common activation functions and when to use them:

Common Activation Functions:


●​ Sigmoid:
○​ Output Range: (0, 1)
○​ Shape: S-shaped curve.5
○​ Use Cases: Primarily used in the output layer for binary classification
problems, where the output needs to be a probability between 0 and 1.6
Historically used in hidden layers, but less common now due to the vanishing
gradient problem.7
○​ Pros: Outputs are easy to interpret as probabilities.8
○​ Cons: Suffers from vanishing gradients (especially for very high or low input
values), not zero-centered, computationally expensive.9
●​ Tanh (Hyperbolic Tangent):
○​ Output Range: (-1, 1)10
○​ Shape: S-shaped curve, similar to sigmoid but centered at zero.
○​ Use Cases: Sometimes used in hidden layers as it's zero-centered, which
can help with gradient flow compared to sigmoid.11
○​ Pros: Zero-centered output.12
○​ Cons: Still suffers from vanishing gradients, computationally expensive.13
●​ ReLU (Rectified Linear Unit):14
○​ Output Range: [0, ∞)15
○​ Shape: Linear for positive inputs, zero for negative inputs.16 (f(x)=max(0,x))17
○​ Use Cases: Most common activation function for hidden layers in many
types of neural networks (CNNs, general deep learning).18
○​ Pros: Computationally efficient, alleviates the vanishing gradient problem for
positive inputs, encourages sparsity (many neurons can be zero).19
○​ Cons: The "dying ReLU" problem (neurons can become inactive if their input
is consistently negative), not zero-centered.20
●​ Leaky ReLU:
○​ Output Range: (-∞, ∞)
○​ Shape: Similar to ReLU but with a small non-zero slope for negative inputs
(f(x)=max(αx,x), where α is a small positive constant, e.g., 0.01).21
○​ Use Cases: Attempts to address the "dying ReLU" problem. Can be used in
hidden layers.
○​ Pros: Addresses the dying ReLU problem.
○​ Cons: The benefit over standard ReLU is not always consistent, the choice of
α can be arbitrary.
●​ Parametric ReLU (PReLU):
○​ Output Range: (-∞, ∞)
○​ Shape: Similar to Leaky ReLU, but the slope for negative inputs (α) is a
learnable parameter.22
○​ Use Cases: Can be used in hidden layers as an alternative to ReLU or Leaky
ReLU, allowing the network to learn the best slope for negative inputs.
○​ Pros: Adaptable slope for negative inputs.23
○​ Cons: Adds more parameters to the model, potentially increasing the risk of
overfitting.
●​ Softmax:
○​ Output Range: (0, 1) for each output, and the sum of all outputs is 1.
○​ Shape: Transforms a vector of real numbers into a probability distribution.
○​ Use Cases: Crucial for the output layer in multi-class classification
problems. It provides probabilities for each class.
○​ Pros: Provides a probabilistic interpretation of the output.24
○​ Cons: Not typically used in hidden layers.
●​ Linear:
○​ Output Range: (-∞, ∞)
○​ Shape: A straight line (f(x)=x).
○​ Use Cases: Primarily used in the output layer for regression tasks where
the output can be any real value. Can also be used in hidden layers in specific
cases where a linear transformation is desired.25
○​ Pros: Simple.
○​ Cons: Doesn't introduce non-linearity, limiting the model's ability to learn
complex patterns if used throughout the network.

How to Determine When to Use Which Activation Function:

Here's a general guideline:


●​ Output Layer:
○​ Binary Classification: Sigmoid (to get a probability between 0 and 1).26
○​ Multi-class Classification: Softmax (to get a probability distribution over
the classes).27
○​ Regression: Linear (or sometimes ReLU or other unbounded activations if
the output is guaranteed to be non-negative).28
●​ Hidden Layers:
○​ General Deep Learning (CNNs, etc.): ReLU is often the default and a good
starting point due to its efficiency and ability to alleviate vanishing gradients.29
○​ Addressing "Dying ReLU": Consider Leaky ReLU or PReLU.
○​ Historically (less common now): Tanh was sometimes used as a
zero-centered alternative to sigmoid.30 Avoid sigmoid in deep hidden layers
due to vanishing gradients.31

Key Considerations When Choosing:


●​ Type of Problem: Classification (binary or multi-class) vs. Regression.
●​ Output Range Requirements: Does the output need to be within a specific
range (e.g., 0 to 1 for probabilities)?
●​ Vanishing Gradient Problem: Be mindful of activation functions that can lead to
vanishing gradients in deep networks (especially sigmoid and tanh).32
●​ Computational Cost: ReLU and its variants are generally computationally
cheaper than sigmoid and tanh.33
●​ Zero-Centered Output: Can sometimes help with faster training (e.g., tanh vs.
sigmoid).34
●​ Sparsity: ReLU can induce sparsity in the network (many neurons output zero),
which can be beneficial.35

Experimentation is Key:

While these are general guidelines, the best activation function for a specific task can
sometimes depend on the dataset and the network architecture.36 It's often a good
practice to experiment with different activation functions and see which one yields
the best performance on your validation set.

In your initial deep learning journey with Keras, you'll likely find yourself using ReLU in
hidden layers and sigmoid or softmax in the output layer for classification tasks. As
you gain more experience, you can explore other activation functions and their
nuances.

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