diff --git a/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/MathUtils.java b/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/MathUtils.java
index e197bb973..f4c057c15 100644
--- a/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/MathUtils.java
+++ b/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/MathUtils.java
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ package org.broadinstitute.sting.utils;
 
 import com.google.java.contract.Requires;
 import net.sf.samtools.SAMRecord;
-import org.apache.lucene.messages.NLS;
 import org.broadinstitute.sting.gatk.GenomeAnalysisEngine;
 import org.broadinstitute.sting.utils.exceptions.UserException;
 
@@ -409,6 +408,17 @@ public class MathUtils {
         return Math.sqrt(rms);
     }
 
+    public static double rms(Collection<Double> l) {
+        if (l.size() == 0)
+            return 0.0;
+
+        double rms = 0.0;
+        for (Double i : l)
+            rms += i*i;
+        rms /= l.size();
+        return Math.sqrt(rms);
+    }
+
     public static double distanceSquared( final double[] x, final double[] y ) {
         double dist = 0.0;
         for(int iii = 0; iii < x.length; iii++) {