What is the difference between classification and regression trees?
Updated May 16, 2026
Short answer
Classification trees predict categories, while regression trees predict continuous values.
Deep explanation
Classification trees use metrics like Gini or entropy, while regression trees use variance reduction or MSE. The structure is similar, but output types differ.
Real-world example
Regression trees are used in predicting house prices.
Common mistakes
- Using classification tree for continuous outputs.
Follow-up questions
- What loss functions do regression trees use?
- Can trees handle both tasks?