Certified Specialist Business Intelligence Practice Test

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What type of analytics is primarily concerned with establishing trends over time?

Descriptive analytics
Predictive analytics
Prescriptive analytics
Behavioral analytics

The correct answer is: Descriptive analytics

Descriptive analytics is primarily focused on summarizing historical data to identify trends and patterns over time. This type of analytics interprets past events and provides insights into what has happened in a business or a given scenario. By analyzing historical data, businesses can uncover trends that aid in decision-making. In contrast, predictive analytics uses statistical algorithms and machine learning techniques to identify the likelihood of future outcomes based on historical data. While it can depend on trends established by descriptive analytics, its main goal is forecasting rather than merely reporting on trends. Prescriptive analytics goes further by suggesting actions and outcomes based on the data analysis, contributing to decision-making by recommending specific strategies. Its focus is on recommending what should be done rather than simply highlighting what has happened. Behavioral analytics often looks at patterns in user behavior, but it does not necessarily concentrate on trends over time in the same way that descriptive analytics does, which is focused primarily on providing insights into historical data. Thus, descriptive analytics stands out as the type most concerned with establishing and analyzing trends over time.