ma(q) refers to the moving average model of order q, which is a statistical approach used for modeling time series data by averaging a set number of past observations. This technique helps in smoothing out short-term fluctuations and highlighting longer-term trends in the data, making it essential for forecasting future values. The 'q' in ma(q) indicates the number of lagged forecast errors in the model, allowing analysts to capture various patterns and improve accuracy in predictions.
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