mad — Compute mean or median absolute deviation.
mad(X) computes median absolute deviation from the median. mad(X,1) computes mean absolute deviation from the mean. Dimension, vector-dimension, and "all" forms are supported.
Syntax
Y = mad(X)
Y = mad(X, flag)
Y = mad(X, flag, dim)Inputs
| Name | Type | Required | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
X | Any | Yes | — | Input data array. |
flag | NumericArray | No | — | Normalization or deviation mode flag. |
dim | Any | No | — | Dimension, dimension vector, or "all" selector. |
options | Any | Variadic | — | Optional dimension and missing-value arguments. |
Returns
| Name | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
Y | NumericArray | Computed statistic. |
Errors
| Identifier | When | Message |
|---|---|---|
RunMat:mad:InvalidArgument | Inputs, flags, dimensions, or options are malformed. | descriptive statistics: invalid argument |
RunMat:mad:Internal | Internal tensor conversion or allocation fails. | descriptive statistics: internal error |
How mad works
- The default flag
0uses median absolute deviation from the median. - Flag
1uses mean absolute deviation from the mean. - NaNs are treated as missing and omitted from each slice by default.
- Empty slices return
NaN.
Example
Median absolute deviation
d = mad([1 2 10], 0, "all")Using mad with coding agents
Open a RunMat example with live inputs, then ask the agent to explain how mad changes the result.
Run a small mad example, explain the result, then change one input and compare the output.
FAQ
What is the default deviation center?⌄
mad(X) uses the median as the center. Pass flag 1 to use the arithmetic mean.
Related Stats functions
Summary
binocdf · boxplot · cdf · cdfplot · chi2cdf · corr · corrcoef · corrcov · cov · cov2corr · dummyvar · ecdf · filloutliers · fitdist · geomean · grpstats · harmmean · icdf · isoutlier · kstest · kurtosis · lsline · mode · nanmax · normalize · normcdf · norminv · normpdf · onehotdecode · onehotencode · pdf · prctile · quantile · refline · rmse · skewness · tabulate · tcdf · tiedrank · tinv · tpdf · ttest2 · wblinv
Ml
bayesopt · classify · confusionmat · crossvalind · cvpartition · fitclinear · fitctree · fitlm · kmeans · knnsearch · lasso · lassoglm · linkage · lscov · mnrfit · optimizableVariable · pdist · pdist2 · perfcurve · predict · regress · ridge · squareform · test · training · tsne
Random
binornd · bootstrp · datasample · dividerand · exprnd · gamrnd · lhsdesign · mvnrnd · normrnd · random · randsample · rng · trnd · unidrnd · unifrnd · wblrnd
Hist
Open-source implementation
Unlike proprietary runtimes, every RunMat function is open-source. Read exactly how mad is executed, line by line, in Rust.
- View the source for mad in Rust on GitHub
- Learn how the RunMat runtime works
- Found a bug? Open an issue with a minimal reproduction.
About RunMat
RunMat is an open-source runtime that executes MATLAB-syntax code blazing on any GPU. It is licensed under the Apache 2.0 license.
- RunMat automatically optimizes your math for GPU execution on Apple, Nvidia, and AMD hardware. No code changes needed. Simulations that took hours now take minutes.
- Start running code in seconds. RunMat runs in the browser, on the desktop, or from the CLI. No license server, no IT ticket.