Autoregression is a statistical technique for modeling the connection between a variable and its previous values. In other words, it represents the concept that prior values might impact a time series data point.
An AR(p) autoregressive model predicts the current value of a time series based on the “p” most recent observations.
Where
Yt is the current value of the time series.
Phi are the autoregressive coefficients, which represent the strength and sign of the relationship between the current value and its past values.
Y t−1,…, Y t−p are the past observations.
ϵ is the white noise or error term at time t, which is the random variation not explained by the model.
The order p defines how many previous observations are taken into account by the model. A greater p number suggests a longer memory or reliance on previous values.
Autoregressive models are commonly employed in time series analysis, especially when the data shows indications of temporal dependency. They belong to a larger class of models known as autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) models, which combine autoregressive and moving average components to provide a more thorough analysis of time series data.
In practice, an AR model aids in the discovery of patterns, trends, and relationships within a time series collection, hence assisting in the prediction of future values. The phrase “white noise” refers to inexplicable changes or external effects. AR models are essential components of more advanced models such as Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA), which are extensively used in sectors ranging from finance to climate research and need knowledge and prediction of temporal trends.