Final answer:
Forecasts are the tool used to predict future project status and progress based on historical data and trends, unlike status reports, progress reports, and histograms which serve different purposes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer to the question is forecasts. Forecasts are designed to predict future project status and progress based on past information and trends. This is akin to how geographers use information to see where trends are well predicted by the variables in their analysis, or how streaming services like Netflix might use past viewing habits to predict future viewing behavior. Similarly, a teacher might use past data to predict the distribution of grades on a final exam, as portrayed in a hypothetical Table 11.27. It's worth noting that while status reports, progress reports, and histograms are useful tools in project management and other areas, they serve different purposes: status reports update current project conditions, progress reports describe completed work and future tasks, and histograms are graphical representations of data.