# incrmstdev > Compute a moving [corrected sample standard deviation][standard-deviation] incrementally.
For a window of size `W`, the [corrected sample standard deviation][standard-deviation] is defined as
Equation for the corrected sample standard deviation.
## Usage ```javascript var incrmstdev = require( '@stdlib/stats/incr/mstdev' ); ``` #### incrmstdev( window\[, mean] ) Returns an accumulator `function` which incrementally computes a moving [corrected sample standard deviation][standard-deviation]. The `window` parameter defines the number of values over which to compute the moving [corrected sample standard deviation][standard-deviation]. ```javascript var accumulator = incrmstdev( 3 ); ``` If the mean is already known, provide a `mean` argument. ```javascript var accumulator = incrmstdev( 3, 5.0 ); ``` #### accumulator( \[x] ) If provided an input value `x`, the accumulator function returns an updated [corrected sample standard deviation][standard-deviation]. If not provided an input value `x`, the accumulator function returns the current [corrected sample standard deviation][standard-deviation]. ```javascript var accumulator = incrmstdev( 3 ); var s = accumulator(); // returns null // Fill the window... s = accumulator( 2.0 ); // [2.0] // returns 0.0 s = accumulator( 1.0 ); // [2.0, 1.0] // returns ~0.7071 s = accumulator( 3.0 ); // [2.0, 1.0, 3.0] // returns 1.0 // Window begins sliding... s = accumulator( -7.0 ); // [1.0, 3.0, -7.0] // returns ~5.29 s = accumulator( -5.0 ); // [3.0, -7.0, -5.0] // returns ~5.29 s = accumulator(); // returns ~5.29 ```
## 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 **at least** `W-1` 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. - As `W` values are needed to fill the window buffer, the first `W-1` returned values are calculated from smaller sample sizes. Until the window is full, each returned value is calculated from all provided values.
## Examples ```javascript var randu = require( '@stdlib/random/base/randu' ); var incrmstdev = require( '@stdlib/stats/incr/mstdev' ); var accumulator; var v; var i; // Initialize an accumulator: accumulator = incrmstdev( 5 ); // For each simulated datum, update the moving corrected sample standard deviation... for ( i = 0; i < 100; i++ ) { v = randu() * 100.0; accumulator( v ); } console.log( accumulator() ); ```