Module 10 · Financial Time-Series Foundations Lesson 98 of 120
Stationarity and Differencing Intuition
Removing a changing level without declaring stationarity solved.
Transcript
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Does a smaller range after differencing prove stationarity?
Code lab
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The lesson source in 7 languages. Edit it, run TypeScript and Python right here, and compare with the expected output.
/**
* Fintech Math Bootcamp · Lesson 098 of 120
* Stationarity and Differencing Intuition
* Module 10: Financial Time-Series Foundations
*
* Scenario: Removing a changing level without declaring stationarity solved
* Rule: first difference Δxₜ=xₜ−xₜ₋₁
*
* Try it: Does a smaller range after differencing prove stationarity?
*
* Lesson article: https://thefintechbuilder.com/financial-mathematics-statistics-and-data-foundations/financial-time-series-foundations/stationarity-and-differencing-intuition/
* Free course: https://courses.thefintechbuilder.com
* Synthetic teaching example, not financial advice or a production library.
*/
export function lesson098() {
const levels=[100,101,100,102,104];
const differences=levels.slice(1).map((v,i)=>v-levels[i]);
const result={differences,levelRange:Math.max(...levels)-Math.min(...levels),
differenceRange:Math.max(...differences)-Math.min(...differences)};
return result;
}
export const checkedResult = {"differences":[1,-1,2,2],"levelRange":4,"differenceRange":3};
// Run this file directly: npx tsx lessons/10-financial-time-series-foundations/098-stationarity-and-differencing-intuition.ts
if (process.argv[1] && import.meta.url.endsWith(process.argv[1].replace(/\\/g, "/").split("/").pop()!)) {
console.log(JSON.stringify(lesson098(), null, 2));
}
Your output
Press Run to execute the code in your browser.
Expected output
{
"differences": [
1,
-1,
2,
2
],
"levelRange": 4,
"differenceRange": 3
}# Fintech Math Bootcamp · Lesson 098 of 120
# Stationarity and Differencing Intuition
# Module 10: Financial Time-Series Foundations
#
# Scenario: Removing a changing level without declaring stationarity solved
# Rule: first difference Δxₜ=xₜ−xₜ₋₁
#
# Try it: Does a smaller range after differencing prove stationarity?
#
# Lesson article: https://thefintechbuilder.com/financial-mathematics-statistics-and-data-foundations/financial-time-series-foundations/stationarity-and-differencing-intuition/
# Free course: https://courses.thefintechbuilder.com
# Synthetic teaching example, not financial advice or a production library.
#
# Run: python main.py
import json
def lesson_098():
levels = [100, 101, 100, 102, 104]
differences = [v - levels[i] for i, v in enumerate(levels[1:])]
return {
"differences": differences,
"levelRange": max(levels) - min(levels),
"differenceRange": max(differences) - min(differences),
}
if __name__ == "__main__":
print(json.dumps(lesson_098(), indent=2))
Your output
Press Run to execute the code in your browser.
Expected output
{
"differences": [
1,
-1,
2,
2
],
"levelRange": 4,
"differenceRange": 3
}/*
* Fintech Math Bootcamp - Lesson 098 of 120
* Stationarity and Differencing Intuition
* Module 10: Financial Time-Series Foundations
*
* Scenario: Removing a changing level without declaring stationarity solved
* Rule: first difference Delta x_t=x_t-x_t-1
*
* Try it: Does a smaller range after differencing prove stationarity?
*
* Lesson article: https://thefintechbuilder.com/financial-mathematics-statistics-and-data-foundations/financial-time-series-foundations/stationarity-and-differencing-intuition/
* Free course: https://courses.thefintechbuilder.com
* Synthetic teaching example, not financial advice or a production library.
*
* Run: javac Main.java && java Main
*/
import java.util.*;
public class Main {
static int range(List<Integer> a) {
return Collections.max(a) - Collections.min(a);
}
static Map<String, Object> lesson098() {
List<Integer> levels = Arrays.asList(100, 101, 100, 102, 104);
List<Integer> differences = new ArrayList<Integer>();
for (int i = 1; i < levels.size(); i++) differences.add(levels.get(i) - levels.get(i - 1));
return obj("differences", differences, "levelRange", range(levels), "differenceRange", range(differences));
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
System.out.println(toJson(lesson098(), ""));
}
// Minimal JSON writer: insertion-ordered Map, List, Number, Boolean, String and null.
static String toJson(Object value, String indent) {
if (value == null) return "null";
if (value instanceof String) return quote((String) value);
if (value instanceof Boolean) return value.toString();
if (value instanceof Double) return formatNumber((Double) value);
if (value instanceof Number) return value.toString();
String inner = indent + " ";
StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
if (value instanceof Map) {
Map<?, ?> map = (Map<?, ?>) value;
if (map.isEmpty()) return "{}";
sb.append("{\n");
int i = 0;
for (Map.Entry<?, ?> e : map.entrySet()) {
sb.append(inner).append(quote(e.getKey().toString())).append(": ").append(toJson(e.getValue(), inner));
sb.append(++i < map.size() ? ",\n" : "\n");
}
return sb.append(indent).append("}").toString();
}
List<?> list = (List<?>) value;
if (list.isEmpty()) return "[]";
sb.append("[\n");
for (int i = 0; i < list.size(); i++) {
sb.append(inner).append(toJson(list.get(i), inner)).append(i + 1 < list.size() ? ",\n" : "\n");
}
return sb.append(indent).append("]").toString();
}
// Integral doubles print without ".0", as JavaScript does; others use Java's round-trip form.
static String formatNumber(double x) {
if (x == Math.rint(x) && Math.abs(x) < 1e15) return Long.toString((long) x);
return Double.toString(x);
}
static String quote(String s) {
StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder("\"");
for (char c : s.toCharArray()) {
if (c == '"' || c == '\\') sb.append('\\').append(c);
else if (c < 0x20) sb.append(String.format("\\u%04x", (int) c));
else sb.append(c);
}
return sb.append('"').toString();
}
// Builds an insertion-ordered object from alternating keys and values.
static Map<String, Object> obj(Object... keysAndValues) {
Map<String, Object> map = new LinkedHashMap<String, Object>();
for (int i = 0; i < keysAndValues.length; i += 2) map.put((String) keysAndValues[i], keysAndValues[i + 1]);
return map;
}
static List<Object> list(double... values) {
List<Object> out = new ArrayList<Object>();
for (double v : values) out.add(v);
return out;
}
}
No browser runner for Java yet
Read the code here, then run it in your own toolchain or a ready-made cloud workspace.
Expected output
{
"differences": [
1,
-1,
2,
2
],
"levelRange": 4,
"differenceRange": 3
}// Fintech Math Bootcamp · Lesson 098 of 120
// Stationarity and Differencing Intuition
// Module 10: Financial Time-Series Foundations
//
// Scenario: Removing a changing level without declaring stationarity solved
// Rule: first difference Δxₜ=xₜ−xₜ₋₁
//
// Try it: Does a smaller range after differencing prove stationarity?
//
// Lesson article: https://thefintechbuilder.com/financial-mathematics-statistics-and-data-foundations/financial-time-series-foundations/stationarity-and-differencing-intuition/
// Free course: https://courses.thefintechbuilder.com
// Synthetic teaching example, not financial advice or a production library.
//
// Run: go run main.go
package main
import (
"encoding/json"
"fmt"
"slices"
)
type Result struct {
Differences []int `json:"differences"`
LevelRange int `json:"levelRange"`
DifferenceRange int `json:"differenceRange"`
}
func valueRange(a []int) int {
return slices.Max(a) - slices.Min(a)
}
func lesson098() Result {
levels := []int{100, 101, 100, 102, 104}
differences := make([]int, 0, len(levels)-1)
for i := 1; i < len(levels); i++ {
differences = append(differences, levels[i]-levels[i-1])
}
return Result{Differences: differences, LevelRange: valueRange(levels), DifferenceRange: valueRange(differences)}
}
func main() {
out, err := json.MarshalIndent(lesson098(), "", " ")
if err != nil {
panic(err)
}
fmt.Println(string(out))
}
No browser runner for Go yet
Read the code here, then run it in your own toolchain or a ready-made cloud workspace.
Expected output
{
"differences": [
1,
-1,
2,
2
],
"levelRange": 4,
"differenceRange": 3
}// Fintech Math Bootcamp · Lesson 098 of 120
// Stationarity and Differencing Intuition
// Module 10: Financial Time-Series Foundations
//
// Scenario: Removing a changing level without declaring stationarity solved
// Rule: first difference Δxₜ=xₜ−xₜ₋₁
//
// Try it: Does a smaller range after differencing prove stationarity?
//
// Lesson article: https://thefintechbuilder.com/financial-mathematics-statistics-and-data-foundations/financial-time-series-foundations/stationarity-and-differencing-intuition/
// Free course: https://courses.thefintechbuilder.com
// Synthetic teaching example, not financial advice or a production library.
//
// Run: g++ -std=c++17 -O1 -o lesson main.cpp && ./lesson
#include <algorithm>
#include <charconv>
#include <cmath>
#include <cstdint>
#include <cstdio>
#include <deque>
#include <iostream>
#include <limits>
#include <map>
#include <optional>
#include <stdexcept>
#include <string>
#include <utility>
#include <variant>
#include <vector>
// Minimal JSON value: objects keep insertion order; numbers print in shortest round-trip form.
struct Json {
enum class Kind { Null, Bool, Number, String, Array, Object };
Kind kind = Kind::Null;
bool flag = false;
double number = 0.0;
std::string text;
std::vector<std::string> keys; // object keys, parallel to items
std::vector<Json> items; // array items, or object values
};
Json jnull() { return Json{}; }
Json jbool(bool value) { Json j; j.kind = Json::Kind::Bool; j.flag = value; return j; }
Json jnum(double value) { Json j; j.kind = Json::Kind::Number; j.number = value; return j; }
Json jstr(const std::string& value) { Json j; j.kind = Json::Kind::String; j.text = value; return j; }
Json jarr(std::vector<Json> items) { Json j; j.kind = Json::Kind::Array; j.items = std::move(items); return j; }
Json jobj(std::vector<std::pair<std::string, Json>> fields) {
Json j;
j.kind = Json::Kind::Object;
for (auto& field : fields) {
j.keys.push_back(field.first);
j.items.push_back(std::move(field.second));
}
return j;
}
Json jnums(const std::vector<double>& values) {
std::vector<Json> items;
for (double v : values) items.push_back(jnum(v));
return jarr(std::move(items));
}
Json jnums(const std::vector<std::optional<double>>& values) {
std::vector<Json> items;
for (const auto& v : values) items.push_back(v ? jnum(*v) : jnull());
return jarr(std::move(items));
}
std::string formatNumber(double value) {
char buffer[64];
auto result = std::to_chars(buffer, buffer + sizeof buffer, value); // shortest round-trip form
return std::string(buffer, result.ptr);
}
std::string quote(const std::string& text) {
std::string out = "\"";
for (char c : text) {
if (c == '"' || c == '\\') {
out += '\\';
out += c;
} else if (static_cast<unsigned char>(c) < 0x20) {
char buffer[8];
std::snprintf(buffer, sizeof buffer, "\\u%04x", static_cast<unsigned>(c));
out += buffer;
} else {
out += c;
}
}
return out + "\"";
}
void writeJson(std::ostream& out, const Json& value, const std::string& indent = "") {
const std::string inner = indent + " ";
switch (value.kind) {
case Json::Kind::Null: out << "null"; return;
case Json::Kind::Bool: out << (value.flag ? "true" : "false"); return;
case Json::Kind::Number: out << formatNumber(value.number); return;
case Json::Kind::String: out << quote(value.text); return;
case Json::Kind::Array:
case Json::Kind::Object: {
const bool isObject = value.kind == Json::Kind::Object;
if (value.items.empty()) {
out << (isObject ? "{}" : "[]");
return;
}
out << (isObject ? "{\n" : "[\n");
for (std::size_t i = 0; i < value.items.size(); ++i) {
out << inner;
if (isObject) out << quote(value.keys[i]) << ": ";
writeJson(out, value.items[i], inner);
out << (i + 1 < value.items.size() ? ",\n" : "\n");
}
out << indent << (isObject ? "}" : "]");
}
}
}
double valueRange(const std::vector<double>& a) {
const auto [lo, hi] = std::minmax_element(a.begin(), a.end());
return *hi - *lo;
}
Json lesson098() {
const std::vector<double> levels{100, 101, 100, 102, 104};
std::vector<double> differences;
for (std::size_t i = 1; i < levels.size(); ++i) differences.push_back(levels[i] - levels[i - 1]);
return jobj({{"differences", jnums(differences)},
{"levelRange", jnum(valueRange(levels))},
{"differenceRange", jnum(valueRange(differences))}});
}
int main() {
writeJson(std::cout, lesson098());
std::cout << "\n";
return 0;
}
No browser runner for C++ yet
Read the code here, then run it in your own toolchain or a ready-made cloud workspace.
Expected output
{
"differences": [
1,
-1,
2,
2
],
"levelRange": 4,
"differenceRange": 3
}// Fintech Math Bootcamp · Lesson 098 of 120
// Stationarity and Differencing Intuition
// Module 10: Financial Time-Series Foundations
//
// Scenario: Removing a changing level without declaring stationarity solved
// Rule: first difference Δxₜ=xₜ−xₜ₋₁
//
// Try it: Does a smaller range after differencing prove stationarity?
//
// Lesson article: https://thefintechbuilder.com/financial-mathematics-statistics-and-data-foundations/financial-time-series-foundations/stationarity-and-differencing-intuition/
// Free course: https://courses.thefintechbuilder.com
// Synthetic teaching example, not financial advice or a production library.
//
// Run: rustc -O main.rs && ./main
#![allow(dead_code)]
/// Minimal JSON value; objects keep insertion order.
enum Json {
Null,
Bool(bool),
Num(f64),
Str(String),
Arr(Vec<Json>),
Obj(Vec<(String, Json)>),
}
fn obj(fields: Vec<(&str, Json)>) -> Json {
Json::Obj(fields.into_iter().map(|(k, v)| (k.to_string(), v)).collect())
}
fn nums(values: &[f64]) -> Json {
Json::Arr(values.iter().map(|&v| Json::Num(v)).collect())
}
fn optional_nums(values: &[Option<f64>]) -> Json {
Json::Arr(values.iter().map(|v| v.map_or(Json::Null, Json::Num)).collect())
}
fn quote(text: &str) -> String {
let mut out = String::from("\"");
for c in text.chars() {
match c {
'"' => out.push_str("\\\""),
'\\' => out.push_str("\\\\"),
c if (c as u32) < 0x20 => out.push_str(&format!("\\u{:04x}", c as u32)),
c => out.push(c),
}
}
out.push('"');
out
}
// Display for f64 prints the shortest string that round-trips, as JavaScript does.
fn write_json(value: &Json, indent: &str, out: &mut String) {
let inner = format!("{} ", indent);
match value {
Json::Null => out.push_str("null"),
Json::Bool(b) => out.push_str(if *b { "true" } else { "false" }),
Json::Num(n) => out.push_str(&format!("{}", n)),
Json::Str(s) => out.push_str("e(s)),
Json::Arr(items) if items.is_empty() => out.push_str("[]"),
Json::Obj(fields) if fields.is_empty() => out.push_str("{}"),
Json::Arr(items) => {
out.push_str("[\n");
for (i, item) in items.iter().enumerate() {
out.push_str(&inner);
write_json(item, &inner, out);
out.push_str(if i + 1 < items.len() { ",\n" } else { "\n" });
}
out.push_str(indent);
out.push(']');
}
Json::Obj(fields) => {
out.push_str("{\n");
for (i, (key, item)) in fields.iter().enumerate() {
out.push_str(&inner);
out.push_str("e(key));
out.push_str(": ");
write_json(item, &inner, out);
out.push_str(if i + 1 < fields.len() { ",\n" } else { "\n" });
}
out.push_str(indent);
out.push('}');
}
}
}
fn value_range(a: &[f64]) -> f64 {
let max = a.iter().cloned().fold(f64::NEG_INFINITY, f64::max);
let min = a.iter().cloned().fold(f64::INFINITY, f64::min);
max - min
}
fn lesson_098() -> Json {
let levels: [f64; 5] = [100.0, 101.0, 100.0, 102.0, 104.0];
let differences: Vec<f64> = levels.windows(2).map(|p| p[1] - p[0]).collect();
obj(vec![
("differences", nums(&differences)),
("levelRange", Json::Num(value_range(&levels))),
("differenceRange", Json::Num(value_range(&differences))),
])
}
fn main() {
let mut out = String::new();
write_json(&lesson_098(), "", &mut out);
println!("{}", out);
}
No browser runner for Rust yet
Read the code here, then run it in your own toolchain or a ready-made cloud workspace.
Expected output
{
"differences": [
1,
-1,
2,
2
],
"levelRange": 4,
"differenceRange": 3
}// Fintech Math Bootcamp · Lesson 098 of 120
// Stationarity and Differencing Intuition
// Module 10: Financial Time-Series Foundations
//
// Scenario: Removing a changing level without declaring stationarity solved
// Rule: first difference Δxₜ=xₜ−xₜ₋₁
//
// Try it: Does a smaller range after differencing prove stationarity?
//
// Lesson article: https://thefintechbuilder.com/financial-mathematics-statistics-and-data-foundations/financial-time-series-foundations/stationarity-and-differencing-intuition/
// Free course: https://courses.thefintechbuilder.com
// Synthetic teaching example, not financial advice or a production library.
//
// Run: dotnet run
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Globalization;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text.Encodings.Web;
using System.Text.Json;
var options = new JsonSerializerOptions { WriteIndented = true, Encoder = JavaScriptEncoder.UnsafeRelaxedJsonEscaping };
Console.WriteLine(JsonSerializer.Serialize(Lesson098(), options));
static object Lesson098()
{
int[] levels = { 100, 101, 100, 102, 104 };
int[] differences = levels.Skip(1).Select((v, i) => v - levels[i]).ToArray();
return new
{
differences,
levelRange = levels.Max() - levels.Min(),
differenceRange = differences.Max() - differences.Min(),
};
}
No browser runner for C# yet
Read the code here, then run it in your own toolchain or a ready-made cloud workspace.
Expected output
{
"differences": [
1,
-1,
2,
2
],
"levelRange": 4,
"differenceRange": 3
}Prefer your own machine? Every file is in the course repository · open it in Codespaces.
Lesson notes
The rule
first difference Δxₜ=xₜ−xₜ₋₁