Markov chain Monte Carlo

Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) is a class of algorithms used for sampling from probability distributions when direct sampling is challenging. It combines principles from Markov chains and Monte Carlo methods to allow for the estimation of complex distributions, particularly in high-dimensional spaces. ### Key Concepts: 1. **Markov Chain**: A Markov chain is a sequence of random variables where the distribution of the next variable depends only on the current variable and not on the previous states (the Markov property).