juniorSVM

What is the role of C parameter in SVM?

Updated May 17, 2026

Short answer

C controls trade-off between margin size and classification error.

Deep explanation

High C reduces margin but minimizes misclassification; low C increases margin but allows errors.

Real-world example

Used in fraud detection tuning models for balance.

Common mistakes

  • Thinking higher C always means better model.

Follow-up questions

  • What happens if C is very small?
  • Is C related to overfitting?

More SVM interview questions

View all →