extrapolate

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ex·trap·o·late / ikˈstrapəˌlāt/ • v. [tr.] extend the application of (a method or conclusion, esp. one based on statistics) to an unknown situation by assuming that existing trends will continue or similar methods will be applicable: the results cannot be extrapolated to other patient groups. [intr.] it is always dangerous to extrapolate from a sample. ∎  estimate or conclude (something) in this way: attempts to extrapolate likely human cancers from laboratory studies. ∎  Math. extend (a graph, curve, or range of values) by inferring unknown values from trends in the known data: [as adj.] (extrapolated) a set of extrapolated values. DERIVATIVES: ex·trap·o·la·tion n.ex·trap·o·la·tive / -ˌlātiv/ adj.ex·trap·o·la·tor / -ˌlātər/ n.

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