Using the data below, what is the weighted moving average forecast for the 4th week?

The weights are .20, .30, .50 (oldest period to most recent period)
Week1, Time Series Value=12
Week2, Time Series Value=14
Week3, Time Series Value=15
Week4, Time Series Value=13

1 answer

To calculate the weighted moving average forecast for the 4th week using the provided weights (.20, .30, .50) and the values from the previous weeks, you can follow these steps:

  1. Identify the time series values for the three preceding weeks:

    • Week 1 = 12
    • Week 2 = 14
    • Week 3 = 15
  2. Apply the weights to these values:

    • Weight for Week 1 (oldest) = 0.20
    • Weight for Week 2 = 0.30
    • Weight for Week 3 (most recent) = 0.50
  3. Calculate the weighted moving average (WMA) using the formula:

\[ \text{WMA} = (W_1 \times V_1) + (W_2 \times V_2) + (W_3 \times V_3) \]

Where:

  • \(V_1\), \(V_2\), and \(V_3\) are the time series values for Week 1, Week 2, and Week 3, respectively.
  • \(W_1\), \(W_2\), and \(W_3\) are the corresponding weights.

Now, substitute the values:

\[ \text{WMA} = (0.20 \times 12) + (0.30 \times 14) + (0.50 \times 15) \]

Calculating each term:

  • \(0.20 \times 12 = 2.4\)
  • \(0.30 \times 14 = 4.2\)
  • \(0.50 \times 15 = 7.5\)

Now, add these up:

\[ \text{WMA} = 2.4 + 4.2 + 7.5 = 14.1 \]

Thus, the weighted moving average forecast for the 4th week is 14.1.