Final answer:
To make estimate assumptions, one should conduct thorough research and apply sound analytical practices, using prior experience and domain knowledge to predict outcomes and provide reasoning for the predictions.
Step-by-step explanation:
To make estimate assumptions about size, location, time, and special conditions, one should engage in sound analytical practices rather than relying on chance or uninformed opinions. Thorough research is critical to understand the factors involved and the relationships between them. This approach allows an individual to make educated guesses based on prior experience and relevant physical principles. For example, when estimating lengths, one can get big lengths from smaller lengths. By breaking down a larger entity into smaller segments that are easier to quantify, multiplying these dimensions can yield an approximation of the total size.
Familiarity with units, dimensions and understanding of the scales of quantities can significantly enhance estimation abilities. Additionally, clearly stating assumptions is important for transparent communication of the estimate. Estimation also involves using formulas where inputs may be imprecise, but applicable reasoning allows for a ballpark figure that can be checked for its plausibility. In fields like physics, this process of estimation is sometimes called a Fermi calculation, used to make quick, approximate evaluations of a problem to assist in decision-making or hypothesis testing.