def minimize_stochastic(target_fn, gradient_fn, x, y, theta_0, alpha_0 = 0.01):
data = zip(x, y)
theta = theta_0 # initial guess
alpha = alpha_0 # initial step size
min_theta, min_value = None, float("inf") # the minimum so far
iterations_with_no_improvement = 0
# if we ever go 100 iterations with no improvement, stop
while iterations_with_no_improvement < 100:
value = sum( target_fn(x_i, y_i, theta) for x_i, y_i in data )
if value < min_value:
# if we've found a new minimum, remember it
# and go back to the original step size
min_theta, min_value = theta, value
iterations_with_no_improvement = 0
alpha = alpha_0
else:
# otherwise we're not improving, so try shrinking the step size
iterations_with_no_improvement += 1
alpha *= 0.9
# and take a gradient step for each of the data points
for x_i, y_i in in_random_order(data):
gradient_i = gradient_fn(x_i, y_i, theta)
theta = la.vector_subtract(theta, la.scalar_multiply(alpha, gradient_i))
return min_theta
