# Taylor expansions A Taylor expansion approximates a function (curve) based on the curve’s rate of change at a certain point, and rates of change of the rates of change, etc. Taylor expansions are a good mental model for extrapolating from observed data. [Web URL for this note](http://notes.benjaminreinhardt.com/Taylor+expansions) [Comment on this note](http://via.hypothes.is/http://notes.benjaminreinhardt.com/Taylor+expansions)