Which of the following is a forecasting method listed in the material?

• A. Smoothing
• B. Delphi method
• C. Qualitative interviews
• D. Time series analysis

Answer: (A)

Smoothing is a forecasting method because it uses past data to produce future estimates by reducing random fluctuations and revealing the underlying pattern. It’s a straightforward quantitative approach, with techniques like moving averages or exponential smoothing, that generate forecasts directly from historical observations without fitting complex models. The Delphi method, while used for forecasting, relies on expert opinions and is often treated as a qualitative approach rather than a numerical forecast. Qualitative interviews are data collection tools, not forecast techniques. Time series analysis is indeed a forecasting family as well, but the material in this item lists smoothing as the forecasting method, making it the best choice in this context.