title: Support vector machines - separating hyperplane question
body: <p>From what I've seen, seems like the separation hyperplane must be in the form </p>
  
  <p><strong><em>x.w</strong> + b = 0</em>. </p>
  
  <p>I don't get very well this notation. From what I understand, <code>x.w</code> is a inner product, so it's result will be a scalar. How can be it that you can represent a hyperplane by a scalar + b? I'm quite confused with this. </p>
  
  <p>Also, even if it was <strong><em>x</strong> + b = 0</em>, wouldn't it be of a hyperplane that passes right through the origin? From what I understand a separating hyperplane doesn't always pass through the origin!</p>