A didactic proposal in teaching exploratory data analysis with MDF pictures

Abstract

This study presents a practical activity adopted in the classroom to aid in comprehension of multivariate tools, particularly in Image principal component analysis (Image PCA), through reproduction of the scores plotted with printed images samples of Medium-Density Fiberboard (MDF). This pedagogical approach allows a more realistic view of the groups formed in the chart, and shows how this technique can be explored in a dynamic manner, allowing a better learning and understanding of the subject. Besides that, this study discloses, among academics, ChemoStat software®, a free software for PCA.