ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Root mean square

Root Mean Square (RMS) is a way of measuring the average amount of something over a period of time. It is like calculating the average of numbers but RMS looks at the amount of change in the numbers. To calculate RMS, add up all the changes in the numbers over a period of time, then take the average by dividing by the number of changes. RMS is most often used to measure things like sound or energy.