Let's say I want to forecast some things based on the current data.
Be it - price of a certain stock , or property value, or calculate the appreciation and depreciation of a certain market segment - then I want to calculate the trend or a forecast data.
This is where I thought I will use Google Spreadsheet's capability and check if I could do some forecasting .
Below are 2 columns A2..4 and B2..4 with some sample data, and if A5 is having some variable - what would the corresponding data in B look like.
See.. if you can follow this examples - one uses the forecast() function, and another uses the trend() function - and both are supported functions of Google Spreadsheets.
While experimenting - be careful of the semicolons.
Notice that in both cases - if A5 is 5, B5 by calculation will be twice as A5 ( which is right -if you look at history data in the above columns)
Likewise, if A6 if 5, then B6 will be 10 as well - by the calculation( which is right again- if you look at the history )
Here I had enter the A6=5, sit on B6 and enter the formula.
Calculating forecast for same data above. ( except the arguments are different )
My last data I entered is on A5, based on that - I want to see what happens in B5 - so sit in B5 and enter the formula below
=Forecast ( A5 = last data; go from B2 to 4 ; and also from A2 to 4 )
More examples.
This one is simple - I just want to calculate the forecast if the B1, to B4 is 2,4,6,8
and A1, to A4 is 1 , 2, 3 and 4.
I want to see the 10 being calculated automatically using the Forecast.
Apparently it does.
Formula is sitting on B5 =forecast(
A5;
B1:B4;
A1:A4)
Now, I want to try 1,2,4,8, and check if it will come up 16 i.e exponents.
1+1 = 2
2+2 = 4
4+4 = 8
8+8 = 16
This does not work ! ( in other words, exponents don't work.)
Now, a classic case of - let's say some marks obtained by students are
5, 7, 9, and 11
what is the next number ?it must be 13 ( this works - as it is not exponents )
Does , 5, 5, 5, and 5 work ?
5, 4,3,2 ( also works - I get a '1' ) in B5
What don't work - Multiples and Exponents
1,
2,
4
8 - will get me 9.5
