Improved Linear Programming Models for Discriminant Analysis*

ABSTRACT Discriminant analysis is an important tool for practical problem solving. Classical statistical applications have been joined recently by applications in the fields of management science and artificial intelligence. In a departure from the methodology of statistics, a series of proposals have appeared for capturing the goals of discriminant analysis in a collection of linear programming formulations. The evolution of these formulations has brought advances that have removed a number of initial shortcomings and deepened our understanding of how these models differ in essential ways from other familiar classes of LP formulations. We will demonstrate, however, that the full power of the LP discriminant analysis models has not been achieved, due to a previously undetected distortion that inhibits the quality of solutions generated. The purpose of this paper is to show how to eliminate this distortion and thereby increase the scope and flexibility of these models. We additionally show how these outcomes open the door to special model manipulations and simplifications, including the use of a successive goal method for establishing a series of conditional objectives to achieve improved discrimination.