Moving Average
A moving average is a statistical calculation used to analyze data points by creating a series of averages of different subsets of the full data set. It is commonly applied in time series analysis to smooth out short-term fluctuations and highlight longer-term trends or cycles. In computing, it's often implemented in algorithms for signal processing, financial analysis, and data smoothing.
Developers should learn moving averages when working with time-series data, such as in financial applications (e.g., stock price analysis), sensor data processing (e.g., IoT devices), or any scenario requiring noise reduction in sequential data. It's essential for building predictive models, real-time monitoring systems, and data visualization tools where trend identification is critical.