Hello all. I'm trying to implement an algorithm from a book about recommendation systems, and the math is a little over my head in some parts. I'm trying to parse this formula. It says that phi represents the density and distribution functions of the standard normal, but it seems they only take one parameter? The algorithm models click rates for two items over two intervals (current and next).
The parameters: x: fraction of user visits to item, theta: state vector with clicks and views for item, q0: known click rate of other item, q1: known click rate of other item in next interval, N0: nu…