ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Forecasting

Forecasting is like trying to guess what the weather might be like tomorrow. We look at past patterns and try to predict what might happen in the future. For example, if it's been hot and sunny for the past five days, we may predict that it will be hot and sunny tomorrow. Forecasting is used in many different areas like business, economics, and even politics. Companies use forecasting to predict how many products they need to have available or how much money they can expect to make. Politicians often look at forecasting to decide how to best use resources or planning for upcoming elections. Forecasting is an important tool because it helps us to plan for the future.