'Deduction' vs. 'Induction' vs. 'Abduction'

Deductive reasoning, or deduction, is making an inference based on widely-accepted facts or premises.

• If a beverage is defined as "drinkable through a straw," one could use deduction to determine soup to be a beverage.

Inductive reasoning, or induction, is making an inference based on an observation, often of a sample.

• You can induce that the soup is tasty if you observe all of your friends consuming it.

Abductive reasoning, or abduction, is making a probable conclusion from what you know.

• If you see an abandoned bowl of hot soup on the table, you can use abduction to conclude the owner of the soup is likely returning soon.

Source: https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/deduction-vs-induction-vs-abduction.

If you have trouble differentiating deduction, induction, and abduction, thinking about their roots might help. All three words are based on Latin ducere, meaning "to lead." The prefix de- means "from," and deduction derives from generally accepted statements or facts. The prefix in- means "to" or "toward," and induction leads you to a generalization. The prefix ab- means "away," and you take away the best explanation in abduction.