When you extrapolate, you take facts you already have — about now, or about one group — and you use them to guess about later, or about a bigger group you have not measured. Scientists do this with graphs: the line goes as far as the data, then they continue it a little further and say, if this keeps going, here is where we land. Business people do it with sales; weather people do it with trends.

When you extrapolate當你extrapolate, you take facts you already have你把已經有的事實拿來用 — about now關於現在的, or about one group或某一個群體的 — and you use them to guess用它們去猜 about later未來會怎樣, or about a bigger group you have not measured或還沒測過的更大群體。Scientists科學家 do this with graphs用圖表這樣做: the line線 goes as far as the data畫到有數據的地方為止, then they continue it a little further然後再往前延伸一點 and say並且說, if this keeps going如果照這樣下去, here is where we land我們會落在這裡。Business people生意人 do it with sales用在銷售上; weather people氣象人員 do it with trends用在趨勢上。

Though actually, the further you go past the last real fact, the more the guess can go wrong. People also use it loosely in talk: don’t extrapolate from one bad day — meaning one example is not a pattern. It is a careful science word that everyday speech borrows, sometimes too freely.

Though actually不過其實, the further you go past the last real fact你離最後一個真實數據越遠, the more the guess can go wrong猜測就越可能出錯。People人們 also use it loosely in talk也會在說話時鬆散地用它: don't extrapolate from one bad day「不要從一個倒楣的日子extrapolate」 — meaning意思是 one example is not a pattern一個例子不代表一種模式。It is a careful science word這是個嚴謹的科學用字 that everyday speech borrows被日常說話借用, sometimes too freely有時候用得太隨便。