Extrapolate
/ɪkˈstræpəˌleɪt/
verbB2
Definition
Extrapolate means to take information you already have and use it to make a good guess about something unknown, especially something further away in time or space. It is often used in science, math, or everyday life when you try to predict what might happen next based on what you know now.
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See It in Action
To predict or estimate beyond known data using existing information
- •Scientists extrapolate future climate changes based on current temperature data.
- •By looking at past sales, the company extrapolated how much they will sell next year.
- •You can extrapolate the end of the pattern by continuing the rule you see.
To extend ideas or information beyond the original limits
- •The teacher asked students to extrapolate the story’s message to real life.
- •From one example, she extrapolated a general rule that applies to many situations.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "extrapolate" like "guess," but a smart guess based on facts or data you already have.
- ✓Picture a line on a graph that goes beyond the points you see, continuing in the same direction to predict what comes next.
- ✓It's the feeling when you try to imagine the end of a story from the beginning you know.
- ✓Sounds like "extra-poll-late" → Imagine taking something "extra" (more) and "polling" (asking) beyond what you already see to find out new information.
- ✓In stories, like detectives use clues (data) to figure out what happened before or what will happen next.
- ✓NOT like "guess" without any information — extrapolate uses real data to make a careful prediction.
- ✓NOT like "interpolate" which means guessing something inside the known data range; extrapolate guesses outside or beyond the known data.
Try Other Words
- •Predict: say what will happen in the future (Use when focusing on future events)
- •Estimate: make an approximate calculation or judgment (Use when the exact number is not known but approximate is needed)
- •Infer: conclude from evidence or reasoning (Use when drawing conclusions from facts, often more general)
- •Project: calculate or estimate something based on present data (Use in business or science for future planning)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "extra-" (beyond) + "polate" (from Latin "polare," meaning to smooth or polish, here from "extrapolatio" meaning to extend)
- •Etymology: From Latin "extrapolatus," meaning to extend or carry beyond
- •Historical development: First used in the 19th century in mathematics and science to describe extending data beyond known points
- •Modern usage: Common in science, statistics, and everyday language when predicting or estimating beyond known information
- •Key insight: It is about going "beyond" what you know, carefully using existing data to find new information
Reflect & Connect
•How can extrapolating help you make better decisions in everyday life?
•What are the risks of extrapolating too far beyond the known information?
Fill in the blanks
1.Scientists extrapolate future results ___ on current data trends and patterns.
2.When you extrapolate, you make a prediction about something ___ the original information you have.
3.Extrapolate is different from guess because it uses ___ to support the prediction.
4.The teacher asked us to extrapolate the lesson’s meaning ___ the classroom to real life.
5.You should be careful when you extrapolate too far because the ___ might not be accurate.
6.Sales teams often extrapolate next year’s profits ___ past sales figures.
7.To extrapolate correctly, you need to understand the ___ or pattern in the data first.