npm package: @stdlib/stats-meanwd
Description: Compute the arithmetic mean along one or more ndarray dimensions using Welford's algorithm.
Author: The Stdlib Authors
Latest version: 0.1.1

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<details>
  <summary>
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  </summary>
  <p>We believe in a future in which the web is a preferred environment for numerical computation. To help realize this future, we've built stdlib. stdlib is a standard library, with an emphasis on numerical and scientific computation, written in JavaScript (and C) for execution in browsers and in Node.js.</p>
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# meanwd

[![NPM version][npm-image]][npm-url] [![Build Status][test-image]][test-url] [![Coverage Status][coverage-image]][coverage-url] <!-- [![dependencies][dependencies-image]][dependencies-url] -->

> Compute the [arithmetic mean][arithmetic-mean] along one or more [ndarray][@stdlib/ndarray/ctor] dimensions using Welford's algorithm.

<section class="intro">

The [arithmetic mean][arithmetic-mean] is defined as

<!-- <equation class="equation" label="eq:arithmetic_mean" align="center" raw="\mu = \frac{1}{n} \sum_{i=0}^{n-1} x_i" alt="Equation for the arithmetic mean."> -->

<div class="equation" align="center" data-raw-text="\mu = \frac{1}{n} \sum_{i=0}^{n-1} x_i" data-equation="eq:arithmetic_mean">
    <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/stdlib-js/stdlib@42d8f64d805113ab899c79c7c39d6c6bac7fe25c/lib/node_modules/@stdlib/stats/strided/meanwd/docs/img/equation_arithmetic_mean.svg" alt="Equation for the arithmetic mean.">
    <br>
</div>

<!-- </equation> -->

</section>

<!-- /.intro -->

<section class="installation">

## Installation

```bash
npm install @stdlib/stats-meanwd
```

</section>

<section class="usage">

## Usage

```javascript
var meanwd = require( '@stdlib/stats-meanwd' );
```

#### meanwd( x\[, options] )

Computes the [arithmetic mean][arithmetic-mean] along one or more [ndarray][@stdlib/ndarray/ctor] dimensions using Welford's algorithm.

```javascript
var array = require( '@stdlib/ndarray-array' );

var x = array( [ 1.0, 2.0, -2.0, 4.0 ] );

var y = meanwd( x );
// returns <ndarray>[ 1.25 ]
```

The function has the following parameters:

-   **x**: input [ndarray][@stdlib/ndarray/ctor]. Must have a real-valued or "generic" [data type][@stdlib/ndarray/dtypes].
-   **options**: function options (_optional_).

The function accepts the following options:

-   **dims**: list of dimensions over which to perform a reduction. If not provided, the function performs a reduction over all elements in a provided input [ndarray][@stdlib/ndarray/ctor].
-   **dtype**: output ndarray [data type][@stdlib/ndarray/dtypes]. Must be a real-valued floating-point or "generic" [data type][@stdlib/ndarray/dtypes].
-   **keepdims**: boolean indicating whether the reduced dimensions should be included in the returned [ndarray][@stdlib/ndarray/ctor] as singleton dimensions. Default: `false`.

By default, the function performs a reduction over all elements in a provided input [ndarray][@stdlib/ndarray/ctor]. To perform a reduction over specific dimensions, provide a `dims` option.

```javascript
var array = require( '@stdlib/ndarray-array' );

var x = array( [ 1.0, 2.0, -2.0, 4.0 ], {
    'shape': [ 2, 2 ],
    'order': 'row-major'
});
// returns <ndarray>[ [ 1.0, 2.0 ], [ -2.0, 4.0 ] ]

var y = meanwd( x, {
    'dims': [ 0 ]
});
// returns <ndarray>[ -0.5, 3.0 ]

y = meanwd( x, {
    'dims': [ 1 ]
});
// returns <ndarray>[ 1.5, 1.0 ]

y = meanwd( x, {
    'dims': [ 0, 1 ]
});
// returns <ndarray>[ 1.25 ]
```

By default, the function excludes reduced dimensions from the output [ndarray][@stdlib/ndarray/ctor]. To include the reduced dimensions as singleton dimensions, set the `keepdims` option to `true`.

```javascript
var array = require( '@stdlib/ndarray-array' );

var x = array( [ 1.0, 2.0, -2.0, 4.0 ], {
    'shape': [ 2, 2 ],
    'order': 'row-major'
});
// returns <ndarray>[ [ 1.0, 2.0 ], [ -2.0, 4.0 ] ]

var y = meanwd( x, {
    'dims': [ 0 ],
    'keepdims': true
});
// returns <ndarray>[ [ -0.5, 3.0 ] ]

y = meanwd( x, {
    'dims': [ 1 ],
    'keepdims': true
});
// returns <ndarray>[ [ 1.5 ], [ 1.0 ] ]

y = meanwd( x, {
    'dims': [ 0, 1 ],
    'keepdims': true
});
// returns <ndarray>[ [ 1.25 ] ]
```

By default, the function returns an [ndarray][@stdlib/ndarray/ctor] having a [data type][@stdlib/ndarray/dtypes] determined by the function's output data type [policy][@stdlib/ndarray/output-dtype-policies]. To override the default behavior, set the `dtype` option.

```javascript
var getDType = require( '@stdlib/ndarray-dtype' );
var array = require( '@stdlib/ndarray-array' );

var x = array( [ 1.0, 2.0, -2.0, 4.0 ], {
    'dtype': 'generic'
});

var y = meanwd( x, {
    'dtype': 'float64'
});
// returns <ndarray>[ 1.25 ]

var dt = String( getDType( y ) );
// returns 'float64'
```

#### meanwd.assign( x, out\[, options] )

Computes the [arithmetic mean][arithmetic-mean] along one or more [ndarray][@stdlib/ndarray/ctor] dimensions using Welford's algorithm and assigns results to a provided output [ndarray][@stdlib/ndarray/ctor].

```javascript
var array = require( '@stdlib/ndarray-array' );
var zeros = require( '@stdlib/ndarray-zeros' );

var x = array( [ 1.0, 2.0, -2.0, 4.0 ] );
var y = zeros( [] );

var out = meanwd.assign( x, y );
// returns <ndarray>[ 1.25 ]

var bool = ( out === y );
// returns true
```

The method has the following parameters:

-   **x**: input [ndarray][@stdlib/ndarray/ctor]. Must have a real-valued or "generic" [data type][@stdlib/ndarray/dtypes].
-   **out**: output [ndarray][@stdlib/ndarray/ctor].
-   **options**: function options (_optional_).

The method accepts the following options:

-   **dims**: list of dimensions over which to perform a reduction. If not provided, the function performs a reduction over all elements in a provided input [ndarray][@stdlib/ndarray/ctor].

</section>

<!-- /.usage -->

<section class="notes">

## Notes

-   Setting the `keepdims` option to `true` can be useful when wanting to ensure that the output [ndarray][@stdlib/ndarray/ctor] is [broadcast-compatible][@stdlib/ndarray/base/broadcast-shapes] with ndarrays having the same shape as the input [ndarray][@stdlib/ndarray/ctor].
-   The output data type [policy][@stdlib/ndarray/output-dtype-policies] only applies to the main function and specifies that, by default, the function must return an [ndarray][@stdlib/ndarray/ctor] having a real-valued floating-point or "generic" [data type][@stdlib/ndarray/dtypes]. For the `assign` method, the output [ndarray][@stdlib/ndarray/ctor] is allowed to have any supported output [data type][@stdlib/ndarray/dtypes].

</section>

<!-- /.notes -->

<section class="examples">

## Examples

<!-- eslint no-undef: "error" -->

```javascript
var uniform = require( '@stdlib/random-uniform' );
var getDType = require( '@stdlib/ndarray-dtype' );
var ndarray2array = require( '@stdlib/ndarray-to-array' );
var meanwd = require( '@stdlib/stats-meanwd' );

// Generate an array of random numbers:
var x = uniform( [ 5, 5 ], 0.0, 20.0 );
console.log( ndarray2array( x ) );

// Perform a reduction:
var y = meanwd( x, {
    'dims': [ 0 ]
});

// Resolve the output array data type:
var dt = getDType( y );
console.log( dt );

// Print the results:
console.log( ndarray2array( y ) );
```

</section>

<!-- /.examples -->

* * *

<section class="references">

## References

-   Welford, B. P. 1962. "Note on a Method for Calculating Corrected Sums of Squares and Products." _Technometrics_ 4 (3): 419–20. doi:[10.1080/00401706.1962.10490022][@welford:1962a].

</section>

<!-- /.references -->

<!-- Section for related `stdlib` packages. Do not manually edit this section, as it is automatically populated. -->

<section class="related">

</section>

<!-- /.related -->

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<section class="main-repo" >

* * *

## Notice

This package is part of [stdlib][stdlib], a standard library for JavaScript and Node.js, with an emphasis on numerical and scientific computing. The library provides a collection of robust, high performance libraries for mathematics, statistics, streams, utilities, and more.

For more information on the project, filing bug reports and feature requests, and guidance on how to develop [stdlib][stdlib], see the main project [repository][stdlib].

#### Community

[![Chat][chat-image]][chat-url]

---

## License

See [LICENSE][stdlib-license].


## Copyright

Copyright &copy; 2016-2026. The Stdlib [Authors][stdlib-authors].

</section>

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[umd]: https://github.com/umdjs/umd
[es-module]: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Guide/Modules

[deno-url]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/stats-meanwd/tree/deno
[deno-readme]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/stats-meanwd/blob/deno/README.md
[umd-url]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/stats-meanwd/tree/umd
[umd-readme]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/stats-meanwd/blob/umd/README.md
[esm-url]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/stats-meanwd/tree/esm
[esm-readme]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/stats-meanwd/blob/esm/README.md
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[stdlib-license]: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/stdlib-js/stats-meanwd/main/LICENSE

[@stdlib/ndarray/ctor]: https://www.npmjs.com/package/@stdlib/ndarray-ctor

[@stdlib/ndarray/dtypes]: https://www.npmjs.com/package/@stdlib/ndarray-dtypes

[@stdlib/ndarray/output-dtype-policies]: https://www.npmjs.com/package/@stdlib/ndarray-output-dtype-policies

[@stdlib/ndarray/base/broadcast-shapes]: https://www.npmjs.com/package/@stdlib/ndarray-base-broadcast-shapes

[@welford:1962a]: https://doi.org/10.1080/00401706.1962.10490022

[arithmetic-mean]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arithmetic_mean

</section>

<!-- /.links -->