Difference Between Descriptive and Predictive Analytics

Descriptive analytics involves analyzing historical data to understand what has happened in the past. It focuses on summarizing data to provide insights into trends and patterns. This type of analytics answers the question "What happened?"

Predictive analytics, on the other hand, uses historical data to make predictions about future events or trends. It involves the use of statistical algorithms and machine learning techniques to forecast outcomes. This type of analytics answers the question "What is likely to happen?"

In summary, descriptive analytics helps in understanding past events and trends, while predictive analytics is used to forecast future outcomes based on historical data.