Theories of Comparative Analysis

Item

Title: en_US Theories of Comparative Analysis
Creator: en_US Weld, Daniel S.
Date: 2004-10-20T20:02:12Z
Date Available: 2004-10-20T20:02:12Z
Date Issued: en_US 1988-05-01
Identifier: en_US AITR-1035
uri: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/6846
Abstract: en_US Comparative analysis is the problem of predicting how a system will react to perturbations in its parameters, and why. For example, comparative analysis could be asked to explain why the period of an oscillating spring/block system would increase if the mass of the block were larger. This thesis formalizes the task of comparative analysis and presents two solution techniques: differential qualitative (DQ) analysis and exaggeration. Both techniques solve many comparative analysis problems, providing explanations suitable for use by design systems, automated diagnosis, intelligent tutoring systems, and explanation based generalization. This thesis explains the theoretical basis for each technique, describes how they are implemented, and discusses the difference between the two. DQ analysis is sound; it never generates an incorrect answer to a comparative analysis question. Although exaggeration does occasionally produce misleading answers, it solves a larger class of problems than DQ analysis and frequently results in simpler explanations.
Extent: en_US 181 p.; 22159466 bytes; 8248976 bytes
Format: application/postscript; application/pdf
Language: en_US
Relation: en_US AITR-1035
Subject: en_US qualitative analysis; en_US causal reasoning; en_US comparativesanalysis; en_US DQ analysis; en_US exaggeration

Item sets: AI Technical Reports (1964 - 2004)