Extrapolating

/ɪkˈstræpəleɪtɪŋ/ verb

Definition

The act of extending or estimating values beyond known data by assuming patterns continue.

Etymology

Present participle of 'extrapolate,' from Latin roots 'extra' (beyond) + 'polatus' (estimated), popularized in mathematics and statistics during the 19th century.

Kelly Says

Economists are constantly extrapolating to predict stock markets or GDP growth—and they're frequently wrong, which tells us something important about how unpredictable the real world can be compared to mathematical models!

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