Baseline Subtraction Moves the Ledger - Signals and Noise in Physics Measurements Step by Step

Baseline subtraction changes every sample before the sum and average are recomputed, so the corrected ledger is not the raw trace. The exact net values rely on the stated baseline and samples; real measurements require baseline estimation, drift control, offset calibration, noise handling, and uncertainty propagation.

Subtracting a baseline changes the samples before the average. Exact arithmetic here means exact results for the stated model inputs; measured inputs still carry uncertainty and significant-figure limits.

highlighted = computed this step

Baseline subtraction happens before averaging

Raw samples 5, 7, 9, 11 volts share baseline 3 volts.

(5,7,9,11)+(-3)=(2,4,6,8)

The net ledger is the one averaged

After subtraction the net sum is 20 volts and the average is 5 volts.

\bar V_{\text{net}}=5\ \text{V}