Which term describes the analytics that focuses on uncovering historical trends in data sets?

The correct term for uncovering historical trends in data sets is descriptive analytics. This branch of analytics primarily aims to summarize past data and provide insights into what has happened. By aggregating and visualizing data, descriptive analytics reveals patterns, trends, and anomalies that can inform decision-making. Techniques often employed in descriptive analytics include data visualization tools, reporting, and basic statistical analysis.

Descriptive analytics serves as a foundational step for further analytics, such as diagnostic or predictive analytics. It provides necessary context by highlighting historical performance and outcomes, thereby forming a basis for understanding how factors have changed over time. This makes it invaluable for businesses and organizations looking to glean insights from their historical data.