ValueError: Found array with dim 3. Estimator expected 2

# ValueError: Found array with dim 3. Estimator expected 2

The Python "ValueError: Found array with dim 3. Estimator expected <= 2" occurs when you pass a 3-dimensional array where a 2-dimensional array is expected, e.g. when calling fit().

To solve the error, use the numpy.reshape() method to reshape the array to 2-dimensional.

Here is an example of how the error occurs.

main.py

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import numpy as np
from sklearn.linear_model import LinearRegression

# 👇️ 3-dimensional array
x = np.array(
    [
        [[19.42, 43.4]],
        [[19.22, 43.9]],
        [[19.68, 44.1]],
        [[19.67, 44.2]],
        [[19.67, 44.2]]
    ]
)

print(x.shape)  # 👉️ (5, 1, 2)


y = np.array([[41.4], [42.9], [44], [45.1], [41.2]])

print(y.shape)  # 👉️ (5, 1)

model = LinearRegression()

# 👇️ calling fit() with 3-dimensional array (2-dimensional is expected)

# ⛔️ ValueError: Found array with dim 3. LinearRegression expected <= 2.
reg = model.fit(x, y)

print(reg.score(x, y))  # 👉️ 0.08035714285714268

value error found array with dim 3 linearregression expected 2

The code for this article is available on GitHub

The x variable stores a 3-dimensional array, however, the fit() method takes a 2-dimensional array for the training dataset.

Notice that the shape of the x array is (5, 1, 2) - 5 subarrays with 1 subarray element and each subarray contains 2 elements.

# Reshape the 3-dimensional array to 2-dimensional

You can solve the error by using the numpy.reshape() method to reshape the array to 2-dimensional.

main.py

Copied!
import numpy as np
from sklearn.linear_model import LinearRegression


x = np.array(
    [
        [[19.42, 43.4]],
        [[19.22, 43.9]],
        [[19.68, 44.1]],
        [[19.67, 44.2]],
        [[19.67, 44.2]]
    ]
)


# ✅ make the array 2-dimensional
x = x.reshape(-1, 2)

print(x.shape)  # 👉️ (5, 2)


y = np.array([[41.4], [42.9], [44], [45.1], [41.2]])

print(y.shape)  # 👉️ (5, 1)

model = LinearRegression()

reg = model.fit(x, y)

print(reg.score(x, y))  # 👉️ 0.08035714285714268

using reshape to solve the error

The code for this article is available on GitHub

We used the numpy.reshape() method to convert the 3-dimensional array to 2-dimensional.

The reshape() method gives a new shape to an array without changing its data.

main.py

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# ✅ make the array 2-dimensional
x = x.reshape(-1, 2)

The only parameter we passed to the method is the new shape.

The new shape should be compatible with the original shape.

When one shape dimension is set to -1, the value is inferred from the length of the array and the remaining dimensions.

We could've also set the shape explicitly.

main.py

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x = x.reshape(5, 2)

The example reshapes the 5-element 3-dimensional array to 2-dimensional.

You can also use the x.reshape(number_samples, nx * ny) formula.

main.py

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import numpy as np
from sklearn.linear_model import LinearRegression


x = np.array(
    [
        [[19.42, 43.4]],
        [[19.22, 43.9]],
        [[19.68, 44.1]],
        [[19.67, 44.2]],
        [[19.67, 44.2]]
    ]
)

print(x.shape)  # 👉️ (5, 1, 2)


x = x.reshape(5, 1 * 2)

print(x.shape)  # 👉️ (5, 2)

The code for this article is available on GitHub

The array has 5 samples where each subarray is a single nested array that has 2 elements.

You could also access the last element of the Shape object when calling reshape().

main.py

Copied!
import numpy as np
from sklearn.linear_model import LinearRegression


x = np.array(
    [
        [[19.42, 43.4]],
        [[19.22, 43.9]],
        [[19.68, 44.1]],
        [[19.67, 44.2]],
        [[19.67, 44.2]]
    ]
)

print(x.shape)  # 👉️ (5, 1, 2)


#  make the array 2-dimensional
x = x.reshape(-1, x.shape[-1])

print(x.shape)  # 👉️ (5, 2)


y = np.array([[41.4], [42.9], [44], [45.1], [41.2]])

print(y.shape)  # 👉️ (5, 1)

model = LinearRegression()

reg = model.fit(x, y)

print(reg.score(x, y))  # 👉️ 0.24559652025113898

flatten array to 2 dimensional

The code for this article is available on GitHub

When one shape dimension is set to -1, the value is inferred from the length of the array and the remaining dimensions.

main.py

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print(x.shape)  # 👉️ (5, 1, 2)

#  make the array 2-dimensional
x = x.reshape(-1, x.shape[-1])

We used the shape attribute to determine the second argument of the reshape() method.

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ValueError: Found array with dim 3. Estimator expected 2