RULES-6: a simple rule induction algorithm for supporting decision making

RULES-3 Plus is a member of the RULES family of simple inductive learning algorithms with successful engineering applications. However, it requires modification in order to be a practical tool for problems involving large data sets. In particular, efficient mechanisms for handling continuous attributes and noisy data are needed. This paper presents a new rule induction algorithm called RULES-6, derived from the RULES-3 Plus algorithm. The algorithm employs a fast and noise-tolerant search method for extracting IF-THEN rules from examples. It also uses simple and effective methods for rule evaluation and continuous attributes handling. A detailed empirical evaluation of the algorithm is reported in the paper. The results presented demonstrate the strong performance of the algorithm.