Ma'auni na lokaci ɗaya yana nufin jerin ma'auni waɗanda aka warware lokaci guda don ƙayyade ƙimar ma'auni waɗanda ke gamsar da duk ma'auni a cikin saitin. Matsakaicin lokaci ɗaya yawanci sun ƙunshi nau'i biyu ko fiye waɗanda ba a san su ba kuma suna samar da ma'auni masu yawa waɗanda dole ne a gamsu lokaci guda don nemo ƙimar abubuwan da ba a sani ba. Magance ma'auni guda ɗaya ya haɗa da sarrafa ma'auni don kawar da ɗaya daga cikin masu canji sannan kuma amfani da sakamakon da aka samu don nemo ƙimar ragowar canjin. Ana maimaita tsarin tare da sauran ma'auni har sai an ƙayyade duk masu canji. Ana amfani da ma'auni na lokaci ɗaya a cikin ilimin lissafi, kimiyyar lissafi, injiniyanci, tattalin arziki, da sauran fagage don ƙirar tsarin hadaddun tsarin da magance matsalolin duniya.