Computer simulations

A simulation is a program that models a real-world process so people can study it without doing it for real. Simulations are used to test car crashes, forecast weather, predict how a disease might spread, design bridges, and train pilots, often because the real thing would be too expensive, dangerous, slow, or impossible. Many simulations use random numbers to model chance, like simulating 10,000 rolls of a pair of dice to estimate how often each total appears, and running many trials gives more reliable results. A simulation can also generate simulated data that fits chosen conditions for further analysis. Every simulation is an abstraction that simplifies reality, so its results are only as good as its assumptions and data: leaving out an important factor or using biased data can produce misleading answers, which is why simulation results should be checked against real observations whenever possible.

This explanation is AI-generated and can occasionally be wrong. 🚩 Report