Think Together · Start with a Short Story
The girl divides the network into an entrance, a processing area, and an exit. Why is the middle part called a “hidden layer”?
Lay Out the Process
- Input layerReceives representations
- Hidden layersDo intermediate calculations
- Output layerProduces task results
The input layer receives data, hidden layers transform it, and the output layer gives values used for a prediction.
“Hidden” mainly means that a layer is neither the direct input nor the final output. It does not mean there is a secret room inside.
Different layers can have different numbers of nodes. How they connect depends on the model design.
Now You Try
If a hidden layer calculates some numbers, must they all be shown to the user?
Ready? Open this to see the explanation
No. They are intermediate results. An app usually uses the final output to give the user a suitable answer.
One Idea to Take Away
The input layer receives data, hidden layers transform it, and the output layer gives values used for a prediction.
Try covering the diagram above and explaining each step to someone in your family. If one step is hard to explain, return to that card and look again.