Root Mean Square

In mathematics, the root mean square (abbreviated RMS or rms), also known as the quadratic mean, is a statistical measure of the magnitude of a varying quantity. It is especially useful when variates are positive and negative, e.g., sinusoids. RMS is used in various fields, including electrical engineering.

It can be calculated for a series of discrete values or for a continuously varying function. The name comes from the fact that it is the square root of the mean of the squares of the values. It is a special case of the generalized mean with the exponent p = 2.

Read more about Root Mean Square:  Definition, RMS of Common Waveforms, RMS in Frequency Domain, Relationship To The Arithmetic Mean and The Standard Deviation

Famous quotes containing the words root and/or square:

    There is a certain class of unbelievers who sometimes ask me such questions as, if I think that I can live on vegetable food alone; and to strike at the root of the matter at once,—for the root is faith,—I am accustomed to answer such, that I can live on board nails. If they cannot understand that, they cannot understand much that I have to say.
    Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)

    In old times people used to try and square the circle; now they try and devise schemes for satisfying the Irish nation.
    Samuel Butler (1835–1902)