> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://nag-9-s.gitbook.io/machine-learning/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://nag-9-s.gitbook.io/machine-learning/learning/goal.md).

# Goal

Spark In Action

The goal of regression ( or any other machine learning algorithm) is to find, based on a set of examples, a mathematical function that is as close an approximation of the relationship between features and the target variable as possible. The regression in figure 7.3 is a simple linear regression because there is only one independent variable (making it simple), and the hypothesis function is modeled as a linear function (a straight line). If there were two variables, you could plot the estimation function in 3D space as a plane. **When there are more features, the function becomes a hyperplane.**