time-to-botec/squiggle/node_modules/@stdlib/stats/incr/variance/README.md

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# incrvariance

> Compute an [unbiased sample variance][sample-variance] incrementally.

<section class="intro">

The [unbiased sample variance][sample-variance] is defined as

<!-- <equation class="equation" label="eq:unbiased_sample_variance" align="center" raw="s^2 = \frac{1}{n-1} \sum_{i=0}^{n-1} ( x_i - \bar{x} )^2" alt="Equation for the unbiased sample variance."> -->

<div class="equation" align="center" data-raw-text="s^2 = \frac{1}{n-1} \sum_{i=0}^{n-1} ( x_i - \bar{x} )^2" data-equation="eq:unbiased_sample_variance">
    <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/stdlib-js/stdlib@49d8cabda84033d55d7b8069f19ee3dd8b8d1496/lib/node_modules/@stdlib/stats/incr/variance/docs/img/equation_unbiased_sample_variance.svg" alt="Equation for the unbiased sample variance.">
    <br>
</div>

<!-- </equation> -->

</section>

<!-- /.intro -->

<section class="usage">

## Usage

```javascript
var incrvariance = require( '@stdlib/stats/incr/variance' );
```

#### incrvariance( \[mean] )

Returns an accumulator `function` which incrementally computes an [unbiased sample variance][sample-variance].

```javascript
var accumulator = incrvariance();
```

If the mean is already known, provide a `mean` argument.

```javascript
var accumulator = incrvariance( 3.0 );
```

#### accumulator( \[x] )

If provided an input value `x`, the accumulator function returns an updated [unbiased sample variance][sample-variance]. If not provided an input value `x`, the accumulator function returns the current [unbiased sample variance][sample-variance].

```javascript
var accumulator = incrvariance();

var s2 = accumulator( 2.0 );
// returns 0.0

s2 = accumulator( 1.0 ); // => ((2-1.5)^2+(1-1.5)^2) / (2-1)
// returns 0.5

s2 = accumulator( 3.0 ); // => ((2-2)^2+(1-2)^2+(3-2)^2) / (3-1)
// returns 1.0

s2 = accumulator();
// returns 1.0
```

</section>

<!-- /.usage -->

<section class="notes">

## Notes

-   Input values are **not** type checked. If provided `NaN` or a value which, when used in computations, results in `NaN`, the accumulated value is `NaN` for **all** future invocations. If non-numeric inputs are possible, you are advised to type check and handle accordingly **before** passing the value to the accumulator function.

</section>

<!-- /.notes -->

<section class="examples">

## Examples

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

```javascript
var randu = require( '@stdlib/random/base/randu' );
var incrvariance = require( '@stdlib/stats/incr/variance' );

var accumulator;
var v;
var i;

// Initialize an accumulator:
accumulator = incrvariance();

// For each simulated datum, update the unbiased sample variance...
for ( i = 0; i < 100; i++ ) {
    v = randu() * 100.0;
    accumulator( v );
}
console.log( accumulator() );
```

</section>

<!-- /.examples -->

<section class="links">

[sample-variance]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variance

</section>

<!-- /.links -->