No coding experience - how to get started

Course Q&A Machine Learning Specialization Supervised ML: Regression and Classification
1

Hi Classmates -

I have done perfectly on the quizzes to date and passed on the optional labs. I was a little surprise by the need to code in the first assignment and have gone back through all the labs to look at what code was used.

That said, I am not completely clear on any of the coding requests and would appreciate some direction on how to start. Not looking for answers but rather which labs would apply to the assignment.

Thank you.

2

Hi @Robert_Lund

Welcome to the community.

If you have no code experience in Python but are interested in getting started with a machine learning specialization, don’t worry! Python is a popular and beginner-friendly programming language for machine learning, and there are many resources available to help you get started. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you begin your machine learning journey:

  1. Learn Python Basics: Before diving into machine learning, familiarize yourself with the basics of Python programming. There are many online tutorials and courses that can help you get started. Some popular resources include Codecademy’s Python course and Python.org’s official tutorial. There is no need to learning everything about Python, you just need to Familiarize yourself with Python’s syntax, including variables, data types (integers, floats, strings, lists, dictionaries, etc.), loops (for and while loops), conditional statements (if-else), and functions.
  2. Understand Machine Learning Concepts: Start by gaining a basic understanding of machine learning concepts. You can find introductory articles and videos online that explain the fundamentals of machine learning, such as supervised learning, unsupervised learning, and basic algorithms.

Keep in mind that the journey of learning machine learning is both exciting and rewarding. Embrace the learning process, and with dedication, you’ll gradually gain the skills and confidence needed to tackle more complex machine learning problems. Happy learning!

Best regards
elirod

3

So, I have taught finance for several years.

You are telling me that at no point did we need coding until this point in the course, the optional labs where some coding was done offer no insights for completing the assignment and that I need to take other courses prior to being able to complete this course?

If the above is true, a course that I was greatly enjoying may be the most poorly designed course that I have ever been aware of.

Regards,
Rob

4

Hi @Robert_Lund

In fact, one of the prerequisites to get the most out of the course is to have basic knowledge in Python such as: for loops, functions, if/else statements

The other one is high school-level math (arithmetic, algebra).

But i have to apologize. I thought you was asking as a general manners not regards the course it self and their assignments.

We appreciative your feedback. Please. Don’t forget to answer the survey by the end of the module or report any issues that you could be facing during you learn journey.

Feel free to send me a message in my personal box if you feel the need for further clarification.

best regards
elirod

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5

Thank you. Just a little frustrated.

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6

Hi @Robert_Lund

Quoting from Deeplearning.AI‘s homepage for this specialization:

  • Doesn’t require prior math knowledge or a rigorous coding background

see also: Machine Learning Specialization - DeepLearning.AI

Anyhow, a great course to learn python can be found here: https://www.coursera.org/specializations/python
Several fellow learners gave the feedback that the course was very helpful to learn Python w/ a steep learning curve, see also: Learning Python

Hope that helps!

Best regards
Christian

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7

Hi @Robert_Lund, from my personal opinion would think you only need the following:

  • How to do for/while loops
  • Basic understanding of the Numpy library

That should be enough to complete the assignments. Since these assignments are more focused on that you understand the logic and the concepts rather than coding complex functions. If you finish a Python course that is advantageous but definitely not necessary to do the assignments.

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