Educational guide

ATR Explained: Range Measurement, Not Direction

Average True Range (ATR) is a historical range statistic. It describes the magnitude of movement over a chosen lookback; it does not indicate whether the next move will be up or down.

True range in plain language

True range is designed to account for both the current high-low span and gaps from the previous close. ATR then smooths those true-range observations across a chosen period. Different platforms can use slightly different initialization details, so values may differ modestly.

What the PreBreakout tool does

The site does not calculate ATR from market history. You enter an ATR value and a multiplier, and the tool converts them into a distance. This avoids market-data licensing issues and keeps the calculation auditable.

Multiplier is not a recommendation

A multiplier of 1, 1.5, 2 or any other value is a user assumption. The calculator does not label any multiplier as optimal. Its job is only to show the resulting numerical distance.

ATR and percentage distance are different units

ATR is usually expressed in the same units as price. Converting the resulting distance to a percentage of entry can make hypothetical examples easier to compare, but it still does not create a probability estimate.

Keep the distinction clear: a chart label describes geometry or past observations. It is not, by itself, a forecast, probability estimate or instruction to buy or sell.

Try the math yourself

Continue learning