npm package: @stdlib/stats-base-ndarray-meanwd
Description: Compute the arithmetic mean of a one-dimensional ndarray using Welford's algorithm.
Author: The Stdlib Authors
Latest version: 0.1.1

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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] of a one-dimensional ndarray 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@develop/lib/node_modules/%40stdlib/stats/base/ndarray/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-base-ndarray-meanwd
```

</section>

<section class="usage">

## Usage

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

#### meanwd( arrays )

Computes the [arithmetic mean][arithmetic-mean] of a one-dimensional ndarray using Welford's algorithm.

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

var xbuf = [ 1.0, 3.0, 4.0, 2.0 ];
var x = new ndarray( 'generic', xbuf, [ 4 ], [ 1 ], 0, 'row-major' );

var v = meanwd( [ x ] );
// returns 2.5
```

The function has the following parameters:

-   **arrays**: array-like object containing a one-dimensional input ndarray.

</section>

<!-- /.usage -->

<section class="notes">

## Notes

-   If provided an empty one-dimensional ndarray, the function returns `NaN`.

</section>

<!-- /.notes -->

<section class="examples">

## Examples

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

```javascript
var discreteUniform = require( '@stdlib/random-array-discrete-uniform' );
var ndarray = require( '@stdlib/ndarray-base-ctor' );
var ndarray2array = require( '@stdlib/ndarray-to-array' );
var meanwd = require( '@stdlib/stats-base-ndarray-meanwd' );

var xbuf = discreteUniform( 10, -50, 50, {
    'dtype': 'generic'
});
var x = new ndarray( 'generic', xbuf, [ xbuf.length ], [ 1 ], 0, 'row-major' );
console.log( ndarray2array( x ) );

var v = meanwd( [ x ] );
console.log( v );
```

</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). Taylor & Francis: 419–20. doi:[10.1080/00401706.1962.10490022][@welford:1962a].
-   van Reeken, A. J. 1968. "Letters to the Editor: Dealing with Neely's Algorithms." _Communications of the ACM_ 11 (3): 149–50. doi:[10.1145/362929.362961][@vanreeken:1968a].

</section>

<!-- /.references -->

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

<section class="related">

</section>

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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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[stdlib-license]: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/stdlib-js/stats-base-ndarray-meanwd/main/LICENSE

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

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

[@vanreeken:1968a]: https://doi.org/10.1145/362929.362961

</section>

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