Tulosfunktio

Tulosfunktio, literally "result function" in Finnish, is a term used in mathematics and applied sciences to refer to a function that maps input variables to outcomes in a system or model. The exact interpretation depends on the field. In statistics and econometrics, a tulosfunktio often denotes the model's predicted outcome as a function of explanatory variables; for example, in a linear regression model the tulosfunktio is f(x) = β0 + β1 x1 + ... + βk xk. In control theory or systems engineering it may refer to the output function y = f(u, x) that maps control signals and state variables to measured outputs.

The tulosfunktio is typically deterministic in a mathematical model, though in probabilistic settings it may be accompanied by stochastic components so that the observed outcomes are random with a mean given by the tulosfunktio. The properties of the tulosfunktio—such as continuity, differentiability, and monotonicity—affect analysis and optimization.

In optimization contexts the tulosfunktio is often the objective or cost function to be optimized, or it may be a component of a larger objective that also includes constraints. In machine learning, the tulosfunktio can be the prediction function learned from data.

Because the term is not universally standardized, its precise meaning is clarified by definition within a given discipline or model. See also model, function, regression, and predictive modeling.