How do you calculate a 2 point moving average?

To calculate a 2 point moving average, you take the average of each pair of consecutive values in your data set. This means that for a given series of numbers, you will sum each pair and then divide that sum by 2 to find their mean.

For example, if you have a sequence of values such as 4, 6, and 8, the first moving average would be calculated from the first two values (4 and 6), which gives (4 + 6) / 2 = 5. The next moving average would be calculated from the next pair of values (6 and 8), resulting in (6 + 8) / 2 = 7. This process continues through the data set, allowing you to understand trends over intervals.

This method of averaging provides a smooth representation of the data, which helps identify patterns without being heavily influenced by fluctuations that may appear in single data points. This is particularly useful in time series analysis and various data-driven fields. In contrast, calculating medians or using modes would not provide the same trend analysis intended by the moving average method.