@stdlib/stats/incr/mae/README.md

Standard library statistical functions.

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# incrmae

> Compute the [mean absolute error][mean-absolute-error] (MAE) incrementally.

<section class="intro">

The [mean absolute error][mean-absolute-error] is defined as

<!-- <equation class="equation" label="eq:mean_absolute_error" align="center" raw="\operatorname{MAE}  = \frac{\displaystyle\sum_{i=0}^{n-1} |y_i - x_i|}{n}" alt="Equation for the mean absolute error."> -->

<div class="equation" align="center" data-raw-text="\operatorname{MAE}  = \frac{\displaystyle\sum_{i=0}^{n-1} |y_i - x_i|}{n}" data-equation="eq:mean_absolute_error">
    <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/stdlib-js/stdlib@49d8cabda84033d55d7b8069f19ee3dd8b8d1496/lib/node_modules/@stdlib/stats/incr/mae/docs/img/equation_mean_absolute_error.svg" alt="Equation for the mean absolute error.">
    <br>
</div>

<!-- </equation> -->

</section>

<!-- /.intro -->

<section class="usage">

## Usage

```javascript
var incrmae = require( '@stdlib/stats/incr/mae' );
```

#### incrmae()

Returns an accumulator `function` which incrementally computes the [mean absolute error][mean-absolute-error].

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

#### accumulator( \[x, y] )

If provided input values `x` and `y`, the accumulator function returns an updated [mean absolute error][mean-absolute-error]. If not provided input values `x` and `y`, the accumulator function returns the current [mean absolute error][mean-absolute-error].

```javascript
var accumulator = incrmae();

var m = accumulator( 2.0, 3.0 );
// returns 1.0

m = accumulator( -1.0, -4.0 );
// returns 2.0

m = accumulator( -3.0, 5.0 );
// returns 4.0

m = accumulator();
// returns 4.0
```

</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.
-   **Warning**: the [mean absolute error][mean-absolute-error] is scale-dependent and, thus, the measure should **not** be used to make comparisons between datasets having different scales.

</section>

<!-- /.notes -->

<section class="examples">

## Examples

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

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

var accumulator;
var v1;
var v2;
var i;

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

// For each simulated datum, update the mean absolute error...
for ( i = 0; i < 100; i++ ) {
    v1 = ( randu()*100.0 ) - 50.0;
    v2 = ( randu()*100.0 ) - 50.0;
    accumulator( v1, v2 );
}
console.log( accumulator() );
```

</section>

<!-- /.examples -->

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

<section class="related">

* * *

## See Also

-   <span class="package-name">[`@stdlib/stats/incr/mape`][@stdlib/stats/incr/mape]</span><span class="delimiter">: </span><span class="description">compute the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) incrementally.</span>
-   <span class="package-name">[`@stdlib/stats/incr/me`][@stdlib/stats/incr/me]</span><span class="delimiter">: </span><span class="description">compute the mean error (ME) incrementally.</span>
-   <span class="package-name">[`@stdlib/stats/incr/mean`][@stdlib/stats/incr/mean]</span><span class="delimiter">: </span><span class="description">compute an arithmetic mean incrementally.</span>
-   <span class="package-name">[`@stdlib/stats/incr/mmae`][@stdlib/stats/incr/mmae]</span><span class="delimiter">: </span><span class="description">compute a moving mean absolute error (MAE) incrementally.</span>

</section>

<!-- /.related -->

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<section class="links">

[mean-absolute-error]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mean_absolute_error

<!-- <related-links> -->

[@stdlib/stats/incr/mape]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/stats/tree/main/incr/mape

[@stdlib/stats/incr/me]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/stats/tree/main/incr/me

[@stdlib/stats/incr/mean]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/stats/tree/main/incr/mean

[@stdlib/stats/incr/mmae]: https://github.com/stdlib-js/stats/tree/main/incr/mmae

<!-- </related-links> -->

</section>

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