# Analysis Period

In Mutual Credit we are most interested in flow rates - change across time.
It follows that choices over time are critical in producing useful analysis.
Analysis Period is the total time-span from which data is analysed.

Within an Analysis Period, time is divided up in some way. There are two options:

- Selection of a regular [Analysis Interval](/Ete0cbcLQ0-y994tJTU4KA) at which to take sample data (turnover and balance, say) - or,
- [Atomic sampling](/JI1rbIAsSbaN08Gra3WvDA) - taking each transaction as an event - a step in the flow which affets the state of the system

See [kernel density estimation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kernel_density_estimation).