It is important to ensure that ____________ have desirable distribution properties.

Ensuring that inputs have desirable distribution properties is crucial in data analysis and modeling. Inputs are the variables or features used in predictive modeling and machine learning algorithms. When the input variables exhibit a normal or otherwise appropriate distribution, it allows the algorithms to perform optimally. Many statistical methods and machine learning techniques assume that the input data follows a certain distribution, which can significantly impact the performance and accuracy of the model.

For instance, some algorithms, like linear regression, perform best when the input data is normally distributed and free of multicollinearity. If the input distributions are skewed or contain outliers, it can lead to inefficiencies in model training, biased parameter estimates, and poor generalization to unseen data. Thus, preprocessing steps like transformation and normalization may be necessary to ensure that input data meets the desired distribution properties before it is used in the analysis.

On the other hand, while data sources provide the raw data, outputs are the results of the models. The analysis techniques refer to methods or algorithms applied to the data. While all these aspects are important in the modeling process, the specific focus here is on the inputs due to their direct impact on the effectiveness of the predictive models.