Precision and recall are exact rational rates formed from the operating-point counts. This lesson shows the trade-off on discrete thresholds, with no smooth curve implied.

highlighted = computed this step

Precision and recall

Each operating point has exact rational rates. At threshold 5, precision is 1 and recall is 1/3. At threshold 1, precision is 3/5 and recall is 1. Both rates are recomputed from the visible counts, so every numerator and denominator stays attached.

P,R{(1,1/3),(3/5,1)}P,R\in\{(1,1/3),(3/5,1)\}
Operating pointsExact thresholds produce exact metric rows.discrete exact operating pointsthresholdTPFNFPTNprecisionrecall5120311/3321122/32/3130213/51discrete exact operating points only; no smooth curvethreshold fixed first; metric alone is not a claim; NOT training

The trade-off

Lowering the threshold catches more positives, so recall rises from 1/3 to 1. It also admits more false positives, so precision falls from 1 to 3/5. The trade-off is measured at exact listed thresholds, not smoothed into a hidden continuum.

R,PR\uparrow,\quad P\downarrow
Operating pointsExact thresholds produce exact metric rows.discrete exact operating pointsthresholdTPFNFPTNprecisionrecall5120311/3321122/32/3130213/51discrete exact operating points only; no smooth curvethreshold fixed first; metric alone is not a claim; NOT training

Summary

The table is the curve discipline: discrete exact points, no smooth continuum. A line between points would be only a visual guide, not a claim about intermediate thresholds.

exact points, no smooth surface\text{exact points, no smooth surface}
Operating pointsExact thresholds produce exact metric rows.discrete exact operating pointsthresholdTPFNFPTNprecisionrecall5120311/3321122/32/3130213/51discrete exact operating points only; no smooth curvethreshold fixed first; metric alone is not a claim; NOT training